Roll of Honor
Frank Eugene Chaffin
Incident
Security Officer Frank Chaffin was killed in a plane crash in Fresno County while transporting 28 immigrant workers who had been in the country on a one-year contract. The workers were being transported from Oakland, California to the INS detention center in El Centro, California at the expiration of their contract.
The chartered DC-3 was flying at an altitude of approximately 1,500-feet when its right engine caught fire and its wing subsequently fell off. The plane crashed to the ground in Los Gatos Canyon, near Coalinga, killing Officer Chaffin, the three members of the flight crew, and all 28 workers.
A nearby prison work crew rushed to the scene and attempted to extinguish the flames of the wreckage.
Officer Chaffin had served with the United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - Detention and Deportation for 30 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two brothers, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-670A2FF9- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
30 years. You could have gone home.
Security Officer Chaffin gave the United States Department of Justice 30 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Security Officer Chaffin.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Security Officer Frank Eugene Chaffin is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - Detention and Deportation, 3 of 6 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Frank Eugene Chaffin's cause is highlighted.
How Frank Eugene Chaffin Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Frank Eugene Chaffin is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - Detention and Deportation are honored on badge.nw.
