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Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Fort Worth: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
46497
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Biloxi – Seattle
MSN:
1861
YOM:
1944
Location:
Fort Worth
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While on a ferry flight from CGAS Biloxi to NAS Seattle for overhaul, the pilot reported an oil leak in the right engine. He then reported a single engine operation and requested an emergency clearance to Fort Worth. The aircraft proceeded out the north leg of the Fort Worth range where the other engine stopped due to an unknown cause, and the propeller was feathered. The aircraft emerged from the clouds in a spin to the left and impacted the ground. All seven crew members were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces.
Crew:
Lt Vaughn E. Salisbury,
Cpt Ernest C. Lindsey,
Ammc John E. Vallowe,
Arm1 William L. Hickman,
Amm2 George L. Proffitt,
Amm1 Oswald D. Jacobson,
Cpl Marion Higgins.
Probable cause:
Oil leak on the right engine and failure of the left engine.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner off Corpus Christi: 12 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1945 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
69113
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi
Location:
Corpus Christi
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training mission and shortly after takeoff from the bay off Corpus Christi NAS, while climbing to a height of 400 feet, the aircraft collided with another Mariner registered 01710 and carrying a crew of 15. This second aircraft was approaching Corpus Christi NAS to land when the collision occurred. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico, some 2,5 miles offshore. On the first Mariner, there were no survivor among the 12 occupants. On board the second Mariner, five crew members were rescued while all ten other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The collision was attributed to a lack of discipline and coordination on part of both crew who failed to follow the procedures in place around the Corpus Christi NAS. At the time of the accident, there was no navigation aids and no ATC at the airbase and both crew were trained aware to put full attention to potential traffic. At the time of the collision, both crew were not focused on workload and environmental operations. Although it was dark at the time of the accident, visibility was greater than nine miles and weather conditions were considered as good.

Crash of a Martin PBM-3S Mariner off Corpus Christi: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1945 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
01710
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi
Location:
Corpus Christi
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training mission and while on approach to Corpus Christi NAS at a height of 400 feet, the aircraft collided with another Mariner registered 69113 and carrying a crew of 12. This second aircraft just took off from the bay when the collision occurred. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico, some 2,5 miles offshore. On board the first Mariner, five crew members were rescued while all ten other occupants were killed. On the second Mariner, there were no survivor among the 12 occupants.
Probable cause:
The collision was attributed to a lack of discipline and coordination on part of both crew who failed to follow the procedures in place around the Corpus Christi NAS. At the time of the accident, there was no navigation aids and no ATC at the airbase and both crew were trained aware to put full attention to potential traffic. At the time of the collision, both crew were not focused on workload and environmental operations. Although it was dark at the time of the accident, visibility was greater than nine miles and weather conditions were considered as good.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-10-BN Superfortress near Weatherford: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-93895
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Clovis - Clovis
MSN:
7302
YOM:
1942
Location:
Weatherford
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Clovis Airfield on a night training mission. While flying at an altitude of 15,000 feet in the region of Weatherford, Texas, the aircraft collided with a second USAAF Boeing B-29 registered 44-86276 and carrying a crew of nine from Alamogordo. After the collision, both aircraft went into a dive but during the descent, two crew members of the 42-93895 were able to bail out and survived. Both aircraft crashed in a field located 3 miles west of Weatherford and were totally destroyed. 18 others were killed.
Crew:
Cpl Anthone J. Agliata,
Cpl Robert M. Apirian,
2nd Lt John W. Burtis,
Cpl Willard A. Byerly,
2nd Lt Robert L. Knight,
S/Sgt Clifford D. Longmire,
1st Lt Robert A. Mayer,
Cpl Jasper C. Wilson Jr.,
F/O Robert O. Zaleska.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-40-MO Superfortress near Weatherford: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-86276
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Weatherford
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Alamogordo Airfield on a night training mission. While flying at an altitude of 15,000 feet in the region of Weatherford, Texas, the aircraft collided with a second USAAF Boeing B-29 registered 42-93895 and carrying a crew of eleven from Clovis. After the collision, both aircraft went into a dive but during the descent, two crew members of the 42-93895 were able to bail out and survived. Both aircraft crashed in a field located 3 miles west of Weatherford and were totally destroyed. 18 others were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Benson W. Cohen,
Sgt Clarence A. Jurgens,
2nd Lt Edward E. Lahniers,
Sgt Donald V. Lefebvre,
Sgt Johnny A. Moseley,
2nd Lt Gordon E. Myers,
Sgt Donald E. Reed,
1st Lt Aubrey K. Stinson,
2nd Lt Harold Lannis Swaim.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Spring Lake: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1945 at 1705 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-16101
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fort Sumner – Greenville
MSN:
20567
YOM:
1944
Location:
Spring Lake
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Enroute from Fort Sumner to Greenville, Texas, while cruising in bad weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control, disintegrated in the air and crash in a prairie in Spring Lake. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/Sgt Joseph V. Andruskevich,
Pfc Christine H. Davis,
1st Lt Frederick H. Jacoby,
S/Sgt Merle W. Sullivan,
1st Lt Rex M. Tharp.

Crash of a Boeing TB-29A Super Fortress near the Guadalupe Peak: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1945 at 2240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-69943
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Davis Monthan – Mobile – Davis Monthan
MSN:
10775
YOM:
1945
Location:
Guadalupe Peak
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Captain / Total flying hours:
850
Captain / Total hours on type:
456.00
Aircraft flight hours:
383
Circumstances:
While cruising by night and low visibility, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located south of the Guadalupe Peak, southeast of Pine Springs, west Texas. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 12 crew members were killed. They were conducting a night training sortie from Davis Monthan to Mobile and return.
Crew (233rd Unit):
F/O Eugene R. Chale,
1st Lt James Harrison Couch,
2nd Lt James M. Green,
Sgt Aristo Landers,
M/Sgt Orval R. Lawless,
Cpl Ralph I. Martin,
1st Lt Joseph J. Mennen Jr.,
Pfc Clark J. Moore,
Sgt Fayette H. Stanfield,
F/O James A. Thomas,
2nd Lt Wesley A. Waldron,
F/O Ernest E. Wilson.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was cruising at an insufficient altitude estimated between 5,000 and 5,400 feet by night. According to investigators, such flight should not be conducted by night as the crew was not familiarized with the topography of this region. No technical failure was pointed out on the aircraft. Also, the preflight briefing on behalf of the crew was incomplete.

Crash of a Martin PBM-3S Mariner in Corpus Christi: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
01728
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi
MSN:
01728
Location:
Corpus Christi
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
On approach, the seaplane was too low and hit a beacon and crashed. All seven crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed 5C Vega in El Paso: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 5 Vega
Operator:
Registration:
NC48610
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
210
Location:
El Paso
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing the pilot and injuring all three passengers.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando near Turkey: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1945 at 1344 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77706
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Sedalia – San Antonio
MSN:
33102
YOM:
1945
Location:
Turkey
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew left Sedalia AFB, Missouri, in good weather conditions, bound for San Antonio-Brooks Field. Enroute, weather conditions worsened, forcing the pilot to continue in instrument flight rules. While cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a canyon located north of Turkey. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O Thomas G. Anderson,
2nd Lt Ernest F. Crow Jr.,
Sgt Henry V. Curran,
2nd Lt Paul Julian Entres,
2nd Lt Forrest M. Faulkner,
2nd Lt Richard A. Gildersleeve,
2nd Lt Robert A. Gray,
1st Lt Edward T. Kelly,
Cpt Brown G. Middleton Jr.,
Cpl Edward J. Shields Jr.,
F/O Hollis K. Smith.
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