Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner into the Japan Sea: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
84787
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
84787
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While completing a maritime patrol flight over the Japan Sea, the crew encountered problem with an engine that caught fire in flight. The pilot-in-command elected to ditch the aircraft that eventually crashed into the sea about 160 km off Wonsan, North Korea. Ten crew members were killed while four others were rescued.
Crew:
Lt Dale Anderson, †
Lt Wayne Eugene Bancroft, †
Ens Donald E. McKinney,
Ad1 George E. Haigh Jr., †
Al2 John A. James, †
Ac2 Rufus L. Mounce, †
Al3 Robert L. Newman, †
Ad3 Joseph O. Smith,
Ad3 Robert W. Stapleton,
At3 Max E. Studer,
Am3 William D. Wynn, †
AN Ernest N. Franklin, †
Aoan Frederick C. Lynch, †
Aoan Clinton B. Macklin. †
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando into the Caribbean Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-ARC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Caracas – Miami
MSN:
33486
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Caribbean Sea, killing all three crew members.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-4 Neptune into the Atlantic Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1952 at 0445 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
124242
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Quonset Point - Quonset Point
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
In the early morning, two Neptunes of the Navy based at Quonset Point NAS were engaged in an anti-submarine warfare exercise off Block Island with the submarine USS Piper (SS-409) and the navy tug USS Hopi (AFT-71). Shortly after 0400LT, both aircraft rendezvoused over the Jamestown Bridge in Narragansett Bay, and headed for the operational area about 70 miles off Block Island. In unknown circumstances, the airplane banked right and then crashed into the sea. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Noble R. Kean,
Lt Thomas J. Tiernan,
A3c John R. Quirk,
A2c George A. Buehler,
Lt Seymour A. Moyl,
A1c Roland O. Eades,
Sea Salvatore A. Coia,
Sea Joseph A. gray.
Source:
http://www.newenglandaviationhistory.com/tag/p2v-neptune-124242/
Probable cause:
The cause of the crash could not be determined.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL on Fletcher's Ice Island

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1952
Operator:
Registration:
43-15665
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
20131
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances on the Fletcher's Ice Island (North Pole Ice Station T-3) located in the Arctic region. There were no casualties but the aircraft was abandoned on site. Later, the iced island that was an iceberg detached and drifted away.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK into the Mediterranean Sea

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1952
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-DFB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Amsterdam – Luqa – Benghazi – Johannesburg
MSN:
12414
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On the leg from Luqa to Benghazi and while flying over the Mediterranean Sea, an engine failed. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the aircraft about 160 km northwest of Benghazi. All 32 occupants were rescued by the crew of a USN Albatross and transferred on a Royal Navy ship. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Consolidated TP-47 Catalina into the Baltic Sea

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1952 at 0420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
47002
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a reconnaissance mission following the disappearance three days earlier of a Swedish Air Force TP-79 into the Baltic Sea. En route, the Catalina was shot down by the pilot of a Soviet MiG-15. The pilot-in-command was able to complete an emergency landing and all five crew members were rescued by the crew of the German merchant ship christened 'Münsterland'. The airplane was lost.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a Soviet MiG-15.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D into the Malacca Strait: 17 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-DPA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Medan – Ipoh – Kuala Lumpur – Jakarta
MSN:
42954
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
While approaching Ipoh on a flight from Medan, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when control was lost. The aircraft crashed into the Malacca Strait, few km off shore, killing all 17 occupants.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-60-BN Superfortress into the Oriental China Sea: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1952 at 2154 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-62083
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
11560
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The heavy bomber left Kadena AFB at the end of the day on a bombing mission to Korea. Around 2154LT, the last radio contact was recorded while the aircraft was cruising about 100 miles north of its departure point. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew:
Cpt Robert H. Adams,
1st Charles E. Allen Jr.,
2nd Lt Richard G. Bristol,
Cpt Robert R. Hebert,
Cpl James W. McLain,
1st Lt Irwin Moldafsky,
Cpl Leonard G. Owens,
2nd Lt Paul H. Reiche,
M/Sgt James Ruska,
T/Sgt Arthur H. Schuman,
Pfc Clem L. Stinnett,
Cpt William E. Threlkeld,
Cpl Merlyn K. Williams.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster GR.3 into the Mediterranean Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RF210
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in an exercice in the Mediterranean Sea, carrying six crew members and one passenger (a photographer) on behalf of the 203rd Squadron. While simulating an aerial attack of a submarine, the pilot-in-command completed a last turn to reach the target when the right wing broke off. Out of control, the airplane crashed into the sea. Five crew members were rescued while a sixth and the passenger were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the right wing failed following a structural issue.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando into the Japan Sea

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-77407
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
32803
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An engine failed en route, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft into the Japan Sea, off the South Korean coast. All occupants were evacuated safely while the airplane sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.