Kadena AFB

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

42-65369

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Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

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One of the main landing gear failed on touchdown. The aircraft went out of control and came to rest in flames. All 14 crew members were rescued and some of them were injured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
1st Lt Henry Anderson,
1st Lt Charles Banchiera,
Cpl Edward F. Clements,
Cpt Jack W. Frost,
Sgt Floyd T. Hobbs Jr.,
M/Sgt Owen M. King,
1st Lt Paul D. Lehman,
1st Lt Francis J. Liberatore,
1st Charles W. Matt,
1st Lt Pieere E. Nys,
S/Sgt John L. O'Flynn,
Cpt Stanley Prawdzik,
Cpl Thomas H. Protiva Jr.,
Sgt John B. Tutt.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage failure on landing.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK in Kadena AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1951

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-48483

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

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Site:

MSN:

14299/25744

YOM:

1944

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On final approach to Kadena AFB, while returning from Korea, the pilot in command decided to attempt a go around for unknown reason. He increased power on both engines when one of them failed. The airplane stalled and crashed few hundred yards short of runway. A crew member was killed while both other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
1st Lt Ezekial P. Bass Jr.,
S/Sgt William L. Coleman Jr., †
1st Lt Kenneth E. Ensign.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for unknown reason.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-65-BN Superfortress in Kadena AFB

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

44-62152

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Site:

MSN:

11629

YOM:

1944

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Circumstances:

Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-40-BN Superfortress in Seoul

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1950 at 1215 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

44-61676

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kadena - Kadena

MSN:

11153

YOM:

1944

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The crew left Kadena AFB, Okinawa, on a bombing mission at the border between China and North Korea, to destroy bridges over the Yalu River. En route, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot (Maj G. I. Kharkovskii) of a Soviet Air Force MiG-15. The crew was able to leave the area but was forced to divert to Seoul-Kimpo Airport for an emergency landing. On touchdown, the heavy bomber went out of control, veered off runway and collided with several parked aircraft. All 12 crew members were evacuated, three of them were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Attacked by the pilot of a Soviet Air Force fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-95-BW Superfortress near Uiju: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1950 at 1045 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

45-21814

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

Schedule:

Kadena - Kadena

MSN:

13708

YOM:

1945

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The aircraft was part of a formation of seven B-29 and had an escort of F4U Corsairs. While overflying the valley of the Yalu River at the border between China and North Korea, the heavy bomber was shot down by the pilot (Maj G. I. Kharkovskii) of a Soviet Air Force MiG-15 (139th GIAP) and crashed in a prairie located near Uiju, about 15 miles northeast of the Chinese city of Dandong. Four crew members were killed while eight others were rescued.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the pilot of a Soviet MiG-15.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-70-BN Superfortress off Kadena AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

44-62279

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

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Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

11756

YOM:

1944

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The heavy bomber left Kadena AFB for the Korea War theater. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the engine number one developed trouble and the aircraft was too heavy to return immediately to Kadena for a safe landing. The crew decided to jettison some of the bombs stored in the bomb bay to light the aircraft. Although the bombs were dropped in a safe condition, some of them exploded while impacting the sea. Fragments severely damaged the airplane to the extent that it was necessary to ditch in the sea about five miles from the end of the runway. Eight crew members were killed while three others were injured.

Probable cause:

Failure of the engine number one.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-50-MO Superfortress in Kadena AFB

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

44-86328

Flight Phase:

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Site:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

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Circumstances:

Crashed on takeoff. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Boeing VB-17G-90-DL Flying Fortress off Tokyo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

44-83675

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