Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

The aircraft took off from Wick at 0930LT for a routine met reconnaissance RECIPE sortie, a straight line track north from Wick to 69N 02W and return. The aircraft encountered snow and ice about 4 hours north of Wick on the return leg, and these persisted for the remainder of the flight. When the aircraft approached Wick at about 2000LT, the weather was atrocious, low cloud, frequent showers and a strong gusty wind. The aircraft was heard over the airfield and given a course to fly, but contact was then lost. At 2040LT, the Fortress flew into a gently sloping hill, probably Cnocan Ruar, at an altitude of 700 feet. Six crew members were killed while three others were injured.
Crew (519th Squadron):
F/Lt F. K. Humphries, pilot,
F/O G. H. Pullan, pilot,
F/O T. G. Wrigley, pilot,
F/S Geoffrey Arthur Francis Panzer, air gunner, †
F/S William Henry Payne, flight engineer, †
F/S Kenneth Anthony Ian Day, air gunner, †
Sgt Alexander Purdie Beatson, wireless operator, †
E. A. Wood, †
D. A. Pressley. †
Source:
http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk/boeing_b-17e_loch-rangag.htm

Overshot and crashed on landing. No casualties.

During a bombing mission over Mannheim, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire but the crew was able to leave the zone and to fly over France. Eventually, the captain was forced to make an emergency landing and attempted to land in a field located in Villafans. But the aircraft crash landed and came to rest in flames. Three crew members were injured while the copilot was killed. Five other crew were unhurt. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew (486th BG):
F/O Robert F. Jarvis, pilot, †
2nd Lt Willis V. King,
Sgt Clayton M. Walker,
Sgt John W. Schmidt,
2nd Lt David D. Hill,
Sgt Gerald J. Christ,
Sgt Charles R. Forrest,
Sgt William O. Roselle,
Sgt Leo V. Davis.

The crew was involved in a night training exercise. While flying at low height, the aircraft hit obstacles and crashed on the slope of Birchenough Hill, between Congleton and Buxton. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Donald James De Cleene, pilot,
2nd Lt Maynard Stravinski, copilot,
F/O Thomas Manos, navigator,
T/Sgt Howard F. Ayers, radio operator,
T/Sgt Frank E. Garry, flight engineer.

Overshot on landing and was damaged beyond repair. No casualties.

The aircraft was performing a mail flight from Morocco to the Azores Islands with three passengers on board, a crew of five and mail bags, on behalf of the 168th Heavy Transport Command. As the aircraft never arrived at destination, SAR operations were conducted but suspended after few days as no trace was found. Few mail bags were discovered later.

En route, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of Beinn Nuis Hill, on the Isle of Arann. All 11 occupants were killed. An unconfirmed report stated the crew was carrying an illegal load of whiskey on behalf of British Officers.
Crew (560th Bombing Squadron);
Cpt John N. Littlejohn, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert N. Stoaks, copilot,
2nd Lt William J. Frey, navigator,
1st Lt Richard W. Rosebasky, navigator,
2nd Lt Leonard W. Bond, bomb aimer,
Cpl Joseph A. Payne, flight engineer,
Cpl Albert E. Thomas, radio operator.
Passengers:
Maj James R. Bell,
2nd Lt Jack D. Merkley,
Sgt Charles S. Brown,
S/Sgt Wade D. Kriner.
Source & photos:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotland42-97286.htm

The four engine bomber was returning to its base in Foggia following a bombing mission over a tank complex located in Linz, Austria. While flying over the Alps in poor weather conditions, the crew encountered technical problems with two engines and was able to send a mayday message at 1042LT. Two crew members bailed out before the aircraft crashed in a mountainous region located near Kleinsölk, some 80 km southeast of Salzburg. While both 'jumpers' were found alive, no trace of the aircraft was found and all search operations were suspended after few days. Sixty years later, in 2004, the wreckage was eventually found. At the time of the accident, the weather conditions were bad with strong winds as well.
Crew (301st BG):
2nd Lt Albert H. Mitchko, pilot, †
1st Lt Philip M. Bullock, copilot, †
2nd Lt Harry P. Hillhouse, navigator,
Sgt Roy T. Patterson, flight engineer,
1st Lt Benjamin L. Cantwell, radio navigator, †
2nd Lt William W. Flood, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Robert G. Haglund, radio operator, †
S/Sgt Mark E. Imlay, air gunner, †
Sgt William J. O'Brien, air gunner, †
Sgt Thomas J. Spagnolo, air gunner. †
Source & photos: http://www.kleinsoelk.at/aircrash.htm

While flying over the North Sea, the four engine aircraft collided in unknown circumstances with another USAAF B-17, went out of control and crashed into the sea some 15 km off Petten. All 10 occupants were killed. The other aircraft was able to land safely.
Crew (457th BG):
Arnett Furr, pilot,
Sterling Book, copilot,
Joe Andrews, navigator,
Leon Plagianos, air bomber,
Don Brunsvold, flight engineer,
Dick Weaver, radio operator,
Warren Rankin, air gunner,
Glen Wisdom, air gunner,
Leroy Wetzel, air gunner. 1.

The bomber left Kingman Airport on a gunnery training mission jointly with a USAF Bell P-39Q Airacobra registered 44-2378. While flying at an altitude of 12,000 feet, the pilot of the Bell misjudged the distance between both aircraft, causing the Bell to hit the left wing of the Flying Fortress. At least 15 feet of the left wing was sheared off. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a desert area located near Kingman Airport. All 15 occupants on both aircraft were killed.