Zone
Okinawa

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-40-BN Superfortress in Naha: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-61677
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Kadena - Kadena
MSN:
11154
YOM:
1944
Location:
Naha
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training sortie out from Kadena AFB. After completing low-level maneuvers, the crew was trying to get height when, flying in clouds, the airplane struck a hill located 5 km southeast of Naha. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all ten crew members were killed.
Crew (581st Air Resupply Group):
Victor C. Marston 9.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-90-BW Superfortress in Naha

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
45-21725
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
13619
YOM:
1945
Location:
Naha
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed in bad weather. A crew member was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
T/Sgt James H. Ammons,
Cpt F. N. U. Aurigemma,
2nd Lt Paul E. Carter,
S/Sgt Robert P. Creamer,
Cpt Peter Dempsey,
Cpl Harry A. Grainger,
S/Sgt Richard E. Hood,
1st Lt Paul J. James Jr.,
1st Lt Wager J. Krarup,
T/Sgt Roy R. Reed,
S/Sgt Malcolm R. Willson.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-4 Neptune off Naha: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
124227
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Naha - Naha
Location:
Naha
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Naha Airport runway 36, while in initial climb, the aircraft banked right and crashed into the sea about one km north of the airfield. Eleven crew members were seriously injured while two others were killed. It appears that the pilot in command lost control of the aircraft when the right engine failed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine shortly after rotation.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-5-DO Skymaster on Mt Tabeyoc: 38 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1950 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
44-9096
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Naha - Clark
MSN:
27322
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Tabayoc
Benguet
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
38
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet in low visibility, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Tabeyoc (9,322 feet high) located about 150 km north of the Clark AFB. The wreckage was found two days later in an isolated area and all 38 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to clouds in the area and the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain.
Probable cause:
The crew was flying under instruments flight rules when the accident occurred and no mechanical failure was reported on the aircraft. Thus, the accident was considered as a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando in Naha: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77335
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
32731
YOM:
1944
Location:
Naha
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Naha Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed. Six passengers were killed while 16 other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24M-15-CO Liberator near Taitung: 25 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
44-42052
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Naha - Nichols
MSN:
5988
YOM:
1944
Location:
Taitung
Taitung County (臺東縣)
Country:
Taiwan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Naha, Okinawa, no the airbase of Nichols, in the suburb of Manila. Enroute, while flying away from a cyclone in marginal weather conditions, the four engine aircraft christened 'Liquidator' hit the slope of a mountain located in the Seaboard Mountain Range, northeast of Taitung, Taiwan. All 25 occupants, among them PoW recently released by the Japanese troops, were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-70-DL into the Pacific Ocean: 19 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-100717
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Laoag – Naha
MSN:
19180
YOM:
1943
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
While cruising about 250 miles southwest off Okinawa, the weather conditions worsened with a squall line, thunderstorm activity and turbulence. The aircraft went through this low pressure area and control was lost. The aircraft crashed into the sea and was lost. No trace of the aircraft nor the 19 occupants was found.
Crew:
1st Lt Kenneth D. Eyden,
Pfc Gary J. Gryce,
1st Lt Joseph F. Miller,
1st Lt Samuel S. Proffitt,
S/Sgt Sumner Walker.
Passengers:
Cpl Peter C. Brown,
Pfc Phillip T. Fowler,
Cpl Royal E. Fritz,
Pfc Oscar C. Gibbs,
Pfc Edmon Gibson,
Pfc James L. Greenwood,
Pfc Charlie L. Mason,
S/Sgt Albert D. Salvato,
Pvt Jerry T. Terry,
Sgt Robert Thomas,
Pvt Earl Thompson,
Pvt Seivern M. Walker,
Sgt John W. Watson,
Pvt Matthews B. Wynn.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight caused by severe turbulence.

Crash of a Nakajima AT-2 on Uotsuri Island

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Nakajima AT-2
Operator:
Registration:
J-BBOT
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fukuoka – Naha – Taipei
MSN:
6
YOM:
1936
Location:
Uotsuri Island
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Naha to Taipei, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and made an emergency landing on Uotsuri Island, in the Pacific. All 13 occupants were rescued the following day.
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