Crash of a Boeing B-29F-100-BW Superfortress in Fort Wainwright AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-21848
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
13742
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Fort Wainwright AFB (Ladd Field), while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames 3 miles east of the airfield. Nine crew members were rescued while three others were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-85-BW Superfortress off Kwajalein: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-87638
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
12441
Region:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from the Kwajalein Atoll Airport. All 16 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-95-BW Superfortress in Greenland

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1947 at 0958 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-21768
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fort Wainwright - Fort Wainwright
MSN:
13662
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew left Fort Wainwright (Ladd Field) on a Top Secret flight over Soviet Union, a mission that should take from 12 to 20 hours. While returning to his base and flying over Greenland at an altitude of 24,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost his orientation. The pilot was unable to locate his position and informed his base that he was forced to attempt an emergency landing as the fuel reserve was four minutes only. The aircraft crash landed on an icy area located about 280 NM north of Thule Airbase. The crew was rescued three days later and the aircraft christened 'Kee Bird' was abandoned. A team was created in the nineties to recover the wreckage but unfortunately, on May 21, 1995, the aircraft caught fire following a fuel leak and was destroyed.
Crew (46th Reconnaissance Squadron):
Vern Arnett, pilot,
Russel S. Jordan, copilot,
Talbert Gates, copilot,
John G. Lesman, astro navigator,
Burl Cowan, navigator,
Robert Luedke, flight engineer,
Howard Adams, radar observer,
Lawrence Yarborough, gunner,0
Ernie Stewart, gunner,
Paul McNamara, gunner,
Robert Leader, radio operator.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-50-BA Superfortress into the Pacific Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-83964
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed into the Pacific Ocean some 400 miles off Guam Island. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew:
Sgt John W. Benson,
S/Sgt William S. Doolittle,
2nd Lt Wallace A. Hofmann,
Br Gen Joe L. Loutzenheiser,
2nd Lt Leonard J. Marrs,
2nd Lt Francis W. Rich,
S/Sgt Frank B. Santus
T/Sgt Clemens B. Wojcicki.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-45-BN Superfortress in North Field AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-61712
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
11189
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the takeoff roll was aborted. The heavy bomber overran and came to rest in flames. Five crewmen were killed while six others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew killed were:
F/O Joseph C. Cochran,
1st Lt George E. Godsey,
1st Lt Joseph A. Little,
1st Lt Charles N. Roberts,
1st Lt Edward W. Williams.

Crash of a Boeing B-29B-45-BA Superfortress in Saipan: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-83899
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Floridablanca - Isley Field
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach to Isley Field, Saipan, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Bernard P. Beine,
Sgt Ray M. C. Card,
2nd Lt Hartphey Haller,
1st Lt Lawrence C. Honeycutt Jr.,
1st Lt Robert R. Kindig,
Cpt Claude S. Lawson Jr.,
T/Sgt Orval Newton Myrick,
Sgt Howard Robinson,
Sgt Matthew M. Schemer,
S/Sgt Chester Skorupa.

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

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-93895
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Clovis - Clovis
MSN:
7302
YOM:
1942
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:
Operator:
Registration:
44-86276
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
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 Boeing B-29-50-MO Superfortress at Kirtland AFB: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-86329
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kirtland - Kirtland
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kirtland AFB, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. There were 14 crew members on board. 13 were killed and the only survivor was the pilot John Parker Shaw.

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:
Operator:
Registration:
44-69943
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Davis Monthan – Mobile – Davis Monthan
MSN:
10775
YOM:
1945
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.