Hyder | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While in cruising altitude on a flight from Yuma to Phoenix, the left engine caught fire after the exhaust pipe separated in flight. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a desert area located near Hyder, AZ. The airplane crash landed and came to rest in flames. It was destroyed while both occupants escaped with minor injuries.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight due to improper maintenance. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Powerplant failure: exhaust system,
- Excessive vibration and then separation of exhaust pipe due to fatigue fracture,
- Fire in engine,
- Forced landing off airport on land,
- Bolt connecting ball joint on left engine right side found missing.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing B-50A-10-BO Superfortress near Hyder: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1950 at 0815 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-50 Superfortress

Operator:

Registration:

46-020

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Davis-Monthan - Davis-Monthan

MSN:

15740

YOM:

1947

Location:

Hyder

Arizona

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The heavy bomber departed Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson at 0615LT for a routine training mission that involved navigation, aerial refueling and camera gunnery training. After transferring 870 gallons of fuel to a KB-29 over Yuma, the crew pressurized the cabin and began to climb to 20,000 feet. While climbing through 17,000 feet, at about 0815LT, the master fire warning light suddenly illuminated on the pilot's instrument panel as the right scanner simultaneously reported a fire streaming from Number 3 engine. There were three successive minor explosions that rolled the bomber onto a 45 degree angle right bank. With the right wing engulfed in flames, the ship then fell into a steep right turn and began to disintegrate. As the bomber broke apart in the sky, only two men of the crew of fourteen were able to escape, the copilot Lt William Gentry and the bombardier, Captain John Lee. The wreckage was spread over a two-mile area of remote desert terrain.
Source: http://www.aircraftarchaeology.com/b50superfortress.html

Probable cause:

The investigation disclosed that Engine Number 3 had been replaced the prior day. It was determined that the cause of the fire was from the exhaust clamp that failed on Engine Number 3, and allowed hot exhaust gas to ignite fuel which had seeped past the fire seal into the engine section. The source of the fuel was likely from the loose-fitting main fuel line at the inlet side of the engine-driven fuel pump.

Crash of a Bellanca 31-55 Senior Skyrocket on Salal Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket

Operator:

Livingston Wernecke

Registration:

NC14701

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Hyder - Alert Bay

MSN:

807

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane was flying from Hyder to Alert Bay when the pilot encountered poor weather conditions. Too low, the aircraft hit trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Salal Island, BC. The airplane was destroyed and both occupants were killed, among them Livingston Wernecke, explorer, scientist, and mine executive, who was returning from an investigation of the Riverside Tungsten mine near Hyder, Alaska.
Crew:
Charles Gropstis, pilot.
Passenger:
Livingston Wernecke.