Travis AFB

An engine caught fire in flight. Control was lost and the aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 800 km northwest of the British coast. Six crew members were rescued while 17 others were killed. Later, two of the survivors died from their injuries.

The four engine aircraft left Travis AFB at 2220LT on March 26 on a cargo flight to Honolulu, carrying one passenger and a crew of three. At 0155LT on March 27, while cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the engine number four suffered a loss of hydraulic pressure and was shut down and its propeller was feathered. In such conditions, the captain decided to divert to San Francisco for a precautionary landing when, about an hour later, the manifold pressure of the engine number three dropped. This engine was also shut down and its propeller was feathered as well. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the crew decided to ditch the aircraft into the Pacific Ocean few miles off San Francisco. All four occupants were rescued while the aircraft sank five hours later.

The crew left Travis AFB on a special mission consisting of an aerial attack of the city of Portland. Two pilots on board a Lockheed F-94 Starfire registered 49-2574 left McChord AFB to assist the bomber in this mission. In flight, while engaged in a gunnery mission, both aircraft collided. It is believed that during one of the mock passes at the bomber, the fighter struck the outer wing of the B-29. While the crew of the Starfire was able to complete an emergency landing at Aurora Airport, the heavy bomber went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Billy Edward Butler,
Cpt William E. Cullen,
A1c Glen P. Daily,
Cpt Parker A. Goodall,
Maj Robert W. Head,
Lt Orval L. Huffman,
Maj Robert Cleveland Jobe,
S/Sgt Clarence Krohn,
A2c Charles E. Wovries 2.

The crew left Travis AFB for a night flight to Hillsboro, in the suburb of Portland, Oregon. During the approach to Hillsboro, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and missed the airport. While flying in dark conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Davis located about 11 miles northeast of Woodland. Two passengers were seriously injured while eight other occupants were killed.

The aircraft left Fairfield-Saisun AFB in California at 0237LT on a flight to Hickam Field, Honolulu, with a crew of five on board. At 0805LT (PST), the last radio contact was heard. As the aircraft never arrived at destination, SAR operations were conducted and eventually suspended one week later on April 9, 1944. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.