United States of America

The crew was engaged in a local spraying mission. During the takeoff roll, the crew encountered strong crosswinds. The three engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames against an embankment. Both pilots were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Chicago-O'Hare Airport. On final approach, the airplane went out of control and crashed three miles northwest of the airfield. A crew member was killed while two others were injured.

A coupling and fully-towed flight was accomplished using the right-handed EF-84B, but no electrical power was received from the B-29. The right hand fighter uncoupled and the left hand fighter coupled with the B-29 and was retracted in the fully-locked towing position. The cockpit panel light indicated that electrical power was available from the B-29, and as soon as everything was trimmed and stabilized and the automatic flight control system was activated momentarily from the fighter. This resulted in a violent pitching motion of the EF-84B causing it to flip up and inward into the B-29. The B-29 outer wing panel crumpled and struck the main B-29 wing spar, shearing off the F-84 nose section before the two aircraft separated. As Bud Anderson flew in formation on the right side of the Superfortress, John Davis brought the left-hand EF-84D into position and linked wingtips with the EB-29A. He transmitted, "Autopilot coming on" and then switched the autopilot on. It commanded hard nose-up elevator. Davis' Thunderjet rolled rapidly to the right onto the outer wing panel of the Superfortress. As the fighter rotated about the wing tip of the bomber, the explosive bolts fired to jettison the Thunderjet, but not in time to prevent the collision between the planes. The left wing of the EB-29A failed outboard of the engines. The nose of the EF-84D broke away from the rest of the airplane.
B-29 went into steep spiral and crashed into Peconic Bay, Long Island and the F-84 crashed shortly thereafter. John Davis and five crew members aboard the EB-29A were killed in the accident. The other fighter, having unhooked, presumably landed safely. The project 'Tip Tow' was immediately cancelled.
Source:
http://www.air-and-space.com/Wing Tip Coupling B-29 F-84.htm
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html

American Air Transport, Inc., an irregular air carrier, was operating this flight as a ferry operation from Columbia. South Carolina to Seattle, Washington for the purpose of later conducting a Civil Air Movement of military personnel from Seattle. Captain John W. Schroeder and First Officer James P. Gilbert flew the aircraft from Columbia to Cheyenne, Wyoming, departing Columbia at 1305 EST, April 22, 1953, and arriving at Cheyenne at 1835 MST of the same date. The flight from Columbia to Cheyenne was completed without incident. A second crew, Captain Maurice A. Booska, Chief Pilot of the company, and First Officer Donald F. Dwelley, rode as passengers to Cheyenne, at which point they relieved Schroeder and Gilbert, who continued with the flight as passengers. The aircraft was serviced at Cheyenne, making the total fuel load 1,200 gallons of 100-octane gasoline. Captain Booska received a weather briefing at the U. S. Weather Bureau Airport Station; following this, he filed a VFR flight plan to Boise, Idaho via Airways Green 3 and Red 1. Departing from Cheyenne at 2043 MST (delayed owing to repair of the left navigation light), the flight proceeded uneventfully. The pilot made position reports over Rawlins and Rock Springs. Wyoming; Malad City and Burley, Idaho; and three minutes east of Boise at 2252. In all position reports except Rock Springs and Malad City (where no altitude was given) the flight altitude was reported as 12,000 feet. Upon request from the flight, Boise radio furnished the Boeing Field-Seattle forecast and the 2228 en route weather between Boise and Seattle. The pilot then filed an IFR flight plan to destination, and the following clearance was transmitted by Boise radio at 2254: "ATC CLEARS N1693M TO THE SEATTLE RANGE VIA RED 1, BLUE 32 BLUE 12, GREEN 2. MAINTAIN 12,000 FEET." The clearance was acknowledged by the pilot. Later position reports indicated that the flight was at 12,000 feet when over Baker. Oregon at 2331 and Pendleton, Oregon at 2353. Near Yakima, Washington the flight was cleared for descent to 10,000 feet and upon reporting over Yakima at 0026, it was further cleared to descend to and maintain 8,000 feet. Ellensburg, Washington radio received a position report at 0037 that the flight passed over Ellensburg 2 at 0034, 8,000 feet. IFR. Ellensburg radio transmitted the Boeing Field 2330 weather to the flight at 0040; the pilot acknowledged and advised that he would contact Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center on 120.3 megacycles when over Easton, Washington. The pilot contacted Seattle Center at 0047 and reported over Easton at 8,000 feet, inbound to Boeing Field. Seattle Center thereupon issued the following clearance: "NECTAR ONE SIX NINE THREE METRO YOU ARE CLEARED TO CROSS HOBART AT 8,000 SEATTLE AT OR ABOVE 4,000 MAINTAIN 4,000 NO DELAY EXPECTED CONTACT SEATTLE APPROACH CONTROL OVER HOBART FOR FURTHER CLEARANCE OVER." The controller in the Seattle Center who was handling this flight was at his control board, about four feet from a loud-speaker installed on top of the unit. The read-back of the clearance by the pilot of N1693M seemed to the controller to be as follows: "ROGER, CLEARED TO - - - -(distinct pause involving a lapse of three or four seconds) CROSS THERE FOUR THOUSAND OR ABOVE THE RANGE STATION, AH, FOUR THOUSAND, REPORT HOBART TO YOU." A correction. "NEGATIVE REPORT HOBART TO SEATTLE APPROACH CONTROL," was then immediately transmitted. The pilot replied, "HOBART TO SEATTLE APPROACH CONTROL ROGER." These contacts were made at approximately 0048. There was no record of further transmission from the aircraft. When the pilot failed to report over Hobart, and the flight became overdue at Seattle, controllers in the Seattle Center and Boeing Field tower attempted to contact the flight, but without success. Search and rescue activities were then instituted. The accident scene was found the next day and the two survivors were rescued.

An unexpected situation was encountered in flight and ten crew members bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in Chehalis. The eleventh occupant who stayed on board was killed.

The four engine aircraft left San Francisco Airport at 2305LT on a VFR flight to Oakland, distant of 10 miles. At this time, weather conditions were considered as good. On approach to Oakland runway 27R, the pilot-in-command descended below the minimum safe altitude of 500 feet when the aircraft hit the water, exploded and sank into the Bay of Oakland. A stewardess and a passenger were rescued while eight other occupants were killed.

The flight departed Washington National Airport, Washington, D. C., at 0007 EST, April 13, with 12 passengers and crew consisting of Captain L. T. Brannan, Copilot O. T. Thorson, and Stewardess A. Long. At Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 10 additional passengers plus relief crew Captain A. J. Lerette and Copilot W. E. Harshman boarded the aircraft. These pilots were deadheading to Fargo, North Dakota, where they were to relieve the other pilots. The destination for all passengers was Seattle, Washington. The flight stopped at Cleveland, Ohio, for fuel and oil and arrived at Chicago at 0735 CST. Shortly after takeoff at Chicago, the flight returned owing to rough operation of the left engine. The left magneto of this engine was replaced by a spare carried on the aircraft and the flight again departed at 1215 CST for Minneapolis, made a fuel stop there, and arrived at Fargo, North Dakota, at 16140 CST. Captain Brannan and Copilot Thorson left the flight at this point. One of the relief pilots inquired about the availability of an engine mechanic, stating that one of the engines was spitting and coughing. When he was told it would take about 15 minutes to get a mechanic, he said to disregard it. The left engine started with some difficulty. The flight departed Fargo at 1748 CST and made fuel stops at Billings, Montana, and Felts Field, Spokane, Washington. The pilots did not report any mechanical difficulties over this segment. The flight departed Spokane at 0035, April 14, on an IFR flight plan via Green Airway 2,5,000 feet to Ephrata, Washington, 7,000 feet to Ellensburg, Washington, and 8,000 feet to Seattle. Routine position reports were made, the last being over Ellensburg at 0143 and climbing to 8,000 feet from 7,000. At approximately 0200 the Seattle ARTC Center heard a call on 120.3 mega-cycles from an unidentified aircraft which was believed to be N 657143, advising that estimated time of arrival at Seattle was 0227 and that the aircraft was standing by on Boeing Field Tower frequency (118.3 megacycles). At 0207 the pilot of N 65743 reported an engine failure and requested further clearance. Seattle Center advised the aircraft to contact Seattle Approach Control or Boeing Tower as soon as practicable and cleared at to cross Seattle at or above 4,000, no delay expected. Later transmissions from the aircraft were on Boeing Field Tower frequency, rather than the Approach Control frequency of 119.5 megacycles. Signals from the aircraft were weak and difficult to read by both Approach Control (located in the Seattle-Tacoma Tower) and by the Boeing Field Tower. However, Approach Control had less difficulty than Boeing Field Tower in hearing the aircraft on 118.3 megacycles, so the controller cooperated with Boeing Tower in furnishing them with the content of messages through interphone. The pilot could apparently hear Boeing Tower, but not Approach Control. At 0214, Approach Control heard the pilot of N 65743 report that he was icing up and losing altitude. The flight was cleared for an approach to Boeing Field by the Boeing Field controller upon instructions from Approach Control, and was given current Seattle weather conditions. The last transmission from the aircraft was received at 0222, reporting that the flight was at 4,800 feet. Search and rescue activities were instituted shortly thereafter. Two crew members and five passengers were killed while 18 others were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.

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.

Transocean Air Lines’ Flight 942 of March 20, 1953, departed Roswell, New Mexico, at 1211 for Oakland, California. On board were 30 military passengers and a crew consisting of Captain H. E. Hum, First Officer F. W. Patchett, Chief Pilot H. W. Rodgers and Stewardesses V. Sandridge and L. Chapman. The flight was for the purpose of transporting military personnel in accordance with the company’s contract with the United States Department of Defense. Prior to departure a DVFR (Defense Visual Flight Rules) flight plan was filed with ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control), indicating a flight to be flown at an altitude of at least 500 feet on top of clouds via Red Airway 88 to Albuquerque, New Mexico; Green Airway 4 to Palmdale, California; Blue Airway 14 and Amber Airway 1 to Bakersfield, California; Amber Airway 1 to Fresno, California; and Blue Airway 10 to Oakland, California. There was sufficient fuel on board for 10 hours and the flying time to Oakland was estimated to be six hours and 35 minutes. According to the company’s records the gross weight of the aircraft at the time of takeoff was 63,817 pounds, which was within the allowable gross weight of 73,000 pounds; the load was properly distributed. After departing Roswell the flight progressed in a routine manner and at 1451, when in the vicinity of Winslow, Arizona, the DVFR flight plan was changed to IFR (Instrument Flight Rules), still at least 500 feet on top of clouds. At 1732 the flight reported that it was over Fresno, California, at 1730, that it was cruising at 8,000 feet (at least 500 feet on top of clouds), estimating Los Banos, California, at 1740 and requested further clearance, At 1744 Flight 942 called the Fresno radio communications station and asked that the requested clearance be expedited, stating that it was now at 7,000 feet, at least 500 feet on top. At 1747, the following clearance was issued the flight: “ARTC clears Transocean 942 to the Newark radio beacon, maintain 8,000, contact Oakland Approach Control after passing Evergreen, no delay expected, report reaching 8,000.” Approaching Evergreen at 1809, the flight was advised to maintain 8,000 feet to Newark. One minute later, at 1810, Flight 942 reported over Evergreen at 8,000 and requested a lower altitude. This request was denied because of traffic at the 7,000-foot level. At 1819 the flight reported over the Newark, California, compass locator and fan marker (radio beacon) at 8,000 feet where it held for 11 minutes. At 1827, Oakland Approach Control cleared Flight 942 for a straight-in range approach, to descend in the holding pattern to cross the Newark compass locator at 3,500 feet and to report leaving each 1,000-foot level. Three minutes later, at 1830, the flight reported leaving 8,000 feet, and subsequently reported leaving each 1,000-foot level. At 1836, it reported being at 3,500 feet leaving the Newark compass locator inbound. This was the last known radio contact with the flight. At approximately 1838 the aircraft crashed in a barley field. Impact and fire destroyed the aircraft. There were no survivors. The Oakland weather reported at the time was: Measured ceiling 1300 feet broken, 1800 feet overcast, light rain, fog, visibility two and one-half miles, wind south-southwest 17 miles per hour, altimeter setting 30.09.

After takeoff from Tampa Airport, on a cargo flight to Guatemala City, the crew encountered engine problems en decided to divers to St Peterburg Airport where a safe landing was completed. Technicians proceeded to several controls on both engines and nothing abnormal was reported, so the crew left St Petersburg. Shortly after takeoff, ATC reported to the crew that white smoke was spreading from the right engine. In such conditions, the crew obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing, shut down the engine and feathered the propeller. For unknown reason, the aircraft missed the runway and flew over its entire length without landing. In such situation, the pilot-in-command decided to make a go around when the airplane stalled and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were injured.