Crash of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress on Mt Foel Cwmcerwyn: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 11, 1943
Registration:
42-29505
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marrakech - Saint Eval
MSN:
4619
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The plane departed Marrakech-Menara Airport on a ferry flight to RAF St Eval. Arriving over the coast of Ireland, a low cloud base required assistance from St Eval to navigate to the airfield. With unreliable compass systems, the plane let down through the cloud but struck a mountain before reaching clear air. Spotting ground, the pilots pulled back on the control column and the tail struck tearing off the left horizontal stabilizer. Without elevator control, the plane struck the ground again approximately a quarter mile beyond, slid to a stop and broke its back. The wreckage was found on Mt Foel Cwmcerwyn. A crew was killed and eight others escaped unhurt.
Crew:
2nd Lt Dinwiddle Fuhrmeister, pilot,
1st Lt Emil Oluf Rasmussen Jr., copilot,
2nd Lt Art Titus, navigator,
1st Lt William J. Smith, †
T/Sgt Odes Franklin Harvey Jr., flight engineer,
Sgt Amos Roy May, radio operator,
Sgt Keith Thousand, air gunner,
Sgt Ray Young Wilson, air gunner,
Sgt Owen Nabors, air gunner.
Crew:
2nd Lt Dinwiddle Fuhrmeister, pilot,
1st Lt Emil Oluf Rasmussen Jr., copilot,
2nd Lt Art Titus, navigator,
1st Lt William J. Smith, †
T/Sgt Odes Franklin Harvey Jr., flight engineer,
Sgt Amos Roy May, radio operator,
Sgt Keith Thousand, air gunner,
Sgt Ray Young Wilson, air gunner,
Sgt Owen Nabors, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.