Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

41-2475

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2286

YOM:

1941

Location:

McDill AFB (Tampa)

Florida

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Crash landed at McDill AFB in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Hendricks AFB

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-2510

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2321

YOM:

1941

Location:

Hendricks AFB (Sebring)

Florida

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed on landing in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of a Boeing B-17B Flying Fortress near Tucson: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

38-214

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2007

YOM:

1938

Location:

Tucson

Arizona

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

En route, an engine caught fire and exploded. The captain attempted an emergency landing but the aircraft eventually crashed in the Santa Catalina Islands, northeast of Tucson. Six crew members were killed while two others were able to bail out and were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress near Pendleton

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-2562

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2373

YOM:

1941

Location:

Pendleton

Oregon

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane suffered a structural failure in flight and crashed 15 miles northeast of Pendleton. All crew members bailed out and were rescued.
Crew:
Warren L. Johnson.

Probable cause:

Structural failure in flight.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress near Coalinga

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-2465

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2276

YOM:

1941

Location:

Coalinga

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

One of the engine caught fire in flight. The crew bailed out and abandoned the airplane that crashed 20 miles northwest of Coalinga Municipal Airport. All crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Owen F. Clarke.

Crash of a Boeing B-17B Flying Fortress in Guatemala City

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Operator:

Registration:

38-264

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2023

YOM:

1938

Location:

Guatemala City-La Aurora

Guatemala

Country:

Guatemala

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Other fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Guatemala City Airport on a patrol mission. During the takeoff roll, the pilot failed to synchronize both engines n°2 and 4, causing the airplane to head across the grass towards the terminal. The B-17 hit a diagonal water run-off ditch that tore off the landing gear and caused the bomber to slide another 50 feet until it stopped. All nine crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Frederick E. Price.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after the pilot failed to synchronize engines n°2 and 4 during takeoff.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Boise: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1942 at 0220 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-2561

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Boise - Boise

MSN:

2372

YOM:

1941

Location:

Boise

Idaho

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew departed Boise on a cross country training exercise and following a 7-hour flight, he was returning to base. The pilot mistakenly started an approach to the wrong runway and was instructed to initiate a go around to attempt another approach to the correct runway. Within seconds, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill and crashed four miles southwest of the airport. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Those killed were:
1st Lt Charles F. Hosford, pilot,
2nd Lt Duane T. Crosthwaite, copilot,
Pvt Harold L. Gilliam, gunner,
Pvt Arthur L. Schipper, gunner.

Probable cause:

The pilot initiated an approach to the wrong runway and failed to see the hilly terrain due to the lack of visibility while approaching at night. Crew fatigue may be considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress near Pendleton: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1942 at 2355 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-2559

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Boise - Pendleton

MSN:

2370

YOM:

1941

Location:

Pendleton

Oregon

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Boise-Gowen Field on a liaison flight to Pendleton, Oregon. While cruising at night in marginal weather conditions, the airplane deviated from the prescribed route and impacted the slope of a mountain located in the Blue Mountain Range, some 20 miles southeast of the destination airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 10 crew members were killed. It appears that the airplane caroming from the peak to another more than a mile away and the wreckage then strewn over a small valley.
Crew:
2nd Lt Lawler C. Neighbors, pilot,
2nd Lt John L. Bailey, copilot,
2nd Lt Glen R. Metsker Jr., copilot,
Sgt Weldon G. Wilson, flight engineer,
Cpl James T. Mitchler, radio operator,
Sgt Frank D. Gillis, gunner,
Sgt Charles C. Parsons, gunner,
Sgt Raymond J. Paveglio, gunner,
Cpl George R. Hall, gunner,
Cpl Frank H. Spooner Jr., gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain following a radio range navigation error in poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Boeing B-17D Flying Fortress in Daly Waters: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

40-3079

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site: