Region
North America
code

USA

Crash of a Martin PBM-5G Mariner off Port Angeles: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
84740
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Port Angeles – Prince Rupert
MSN:
84740
YOM:
1945
Location:
Port Angeles
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Port Angeles, while climbing to a height of 250 feet, the seaplane stalled and crashed into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Jg R. J. Tomozer,
AL1 B. Moore,
AL2 B. E. Woodard,
T/Sgt H. P. Colbeck.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-65-BN Superfortress off Oceanside: 11 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-62119
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
March - March
MSN:
11596
YOM:
1944
Location:
Oceanside
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
17
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training sortie from March AFB when the heavy bomber collided in unclear circumstances with a USN Vought F4U-4 Corsair registered 81218 from VMA-251 flying out from MCAS El Toro. The 4 plane Corsair formation was on a GCI and Camera Gunnery flight. Apparently they were asked by the B-29s to make head on gunnery passes. The first three Corsairs did so, but the fourth, piloted by 2nd Lt Joe K. Jensen did not. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 30 miles west of Oceanside. The pilot of the Corsair was killed as well as 11 crew members from the Superfortress, six other have been rescued.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-35-BN Superfortress off Tarpon Springs: 7 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-61538
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
McDill - McDill
MSN:
11015
YOM:
1944
Location:
Tarpon Springs
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a low level target exercice when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the gulf of Mexico, about 27 miles west-northwest of Tarpon Springs. Seven crew members were killed while seven others were rescued.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK in Merrill Pass: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-48069
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
13885/25330
YOM:
1944
Location:
Merrill Pass
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Merrill Pass, about 110 miles west of Anchorage. All five crew members were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando near Whittier: 29 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
N8404C
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New York – Chicago – Kansas City – Phoenix – Hollywood
MSN:
22466
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
RBN416W
Location:
Whittier
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Captain / Total flying hours:
7913
Captain / Total hours on type:
600.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
495
Circumstances:
The crew started the descent to Hollywood-Burbank Airport at night and in marginal weather conditions (low clouds) when he was instructed by ATC to divert to Los Angeles for a safe ILS approach. While descending in dark conditions, the aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Puente located two miles east of Whittier. The wreckage was found few hours later. All 29 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the action of the pilot in voluntarily descending below the minimum altitude for which he was cleared, and attempting an approach at an altitude too low to clear the terrain. The following findings were pointed out:
- Captain Lewis R. Powell served as command pilot on this flight and on previous ones, contrary to the limitation imposed by his medical certificate, although he was fully aware that this limitation restricted his flying activities to company check pilot duties only,
- Copilot Charles K. Waldron was properly certificated for the flight involved, but during this flight exceeded the flight time limitations prescribed under Section 42.48 of the Civil Air Regulations,
- The flight was not conducted in accordance with the ARTC approach clearance, in that it descended considerably lower than the minimum altitude prescribed between Riverside range and Downey fan marker,
- The flight was in clear weather until reaching the Puente Hills, which were clear on the east slope but in fog to the west,
- Weather conditions at Los Angeles International Airport were satisfactory for the ILS approach for which the flight had been cleared, but were not satisfactory for a visual approach.
Final Report:

Crash of a Convair B-36B-10-CF Peacemaker in Fairchild AFB: 15 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Operator:
Registration:
44-92050
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Fairchild - Fairchild
MSN:
47
YOM:
1946
Location:
Fairchild AFB (Spokane)
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
17
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a routine training flight and the plane was scheduled to conduct seven practice bomb runs at the Yakima Firing Center in Yakima County. During the takeoff roll from runway 23, the six engine aircraft encountered difficulties to rotate, overran and eventually rotated 520 feet past the runway end. The airplane climbed to a height of 50 feet then nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion in a field 3,314 feet past the runway end and 75 feet on the right of the extended center line. Two crew members were seriously injured while 15 others were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed. The pilot was also in command of another B-36 registered 44-92080 that crashed at Fairchild AFB last January 29.
Crew:
Cpt Cecil F. Alldredge, pilot, †
Cpt John Q. Boyd, †
T/Sgt Francis J. Brozowski, †
S/Sgt Martin Gordon Cohn, †
Cpt John E. Daly, †
S/Sgt Earl K. Davis, †
1st Lt Melvin H. Emley, †
S/Sgt John C. Gafford, †
Cpt Arthur L. Hulshizer, †
2nd Lt John J. Knaub, †
A2c Wilbur W. Knox Jr., †
1st Lt Herbert D. Merman, †
Cpt Albert E. Nelson, †
Cpt Earl G. Soderbeck, †
A1c Charles E. Sykora Jr., †
A2c James Breedlove,
M/Sgt Walter L. Campbell.
Probable cause:
The Air Force Board of Inquiry determined the crash was caused by pilot error. During the maximum-weight takeoff, the pilots apparently discovered that the elevator trim was set incorrectly, keeping the plane’s nose down. Rather than abort, Captain Cecil F. Alldredge, the aircraft commander, made the decision to continue, confident the trim could be corrected during the takeoff roll. The corrective action, however, came too late, and the pilots lost control. The plane continued on the ground 520 feet past the end of runway 23 before becoming briefly airborne. After reaching an altitude of approximately 50 feet, the aircraft struck the ground 75 feet to the right and 3,314 feet past the end of the runway and tore through the airfield perimeter fence, coming to rest 450 feet off the base. The debris field extended an additional 1,000 feet.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-4 Neptune in NAS Brunswick: 6 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
124255
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Brunswick - Brunswick
Location:
Brunswick
Maine
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at NAS Brunswick. On final approach with one engine inoperative (part of the training program), the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area. Four crew members were rescued while six others were killed.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47A near Otis AFB: 10 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-93809
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Otis – Niagara Falls
MSN:
13762
YOM:
1944
Location:
Otis AFB
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Otis AFB, while climbing in clouds at an altitude between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, the VC-47 collided with a USAF Lockheed F-94B Starfire registered 51-5407 and carrying a crew of two. Both airplanes went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located few miles from the airbase. All 12 crew members on both aircraft were killed. It appears that the collision occurred while both aircraft were flying in clouds and each crew failed to see each other.
Douglas VC-47A crew:
Lt Col William C. Bryson,
Maj Benjamin C. Beckman,
Maj Leland A. Berg,
Cpt Lane S. Hendricks,
Cpt Clifton Foster,
Cpt Richard E. Heder,
Cpt William H. Erwin,
T/Sgt William D. Pollock,
T/Sgt Deane B. Cooper,
Afc Harry E. Hardesty.
Lockheed F-94B Starfire crew:
Cpt Charles E. Smoke, pilot,
1st Lt Thaddeus C. Kulpinski, radar observer.

Crash of a North American TB-25J-30-NC Mitchell near Golden: 11 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
44-31015
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Denver – Kansas City
MSN:
108-34290
YOM:
1944
Location:
Golden
Colorado
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Denver, bound for Kansas City, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 8 miles northwest of Golden. The aircraft was destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed. For unknown reason, the crew was flying to the west straight on to the Rocky Mountains instead to the east to Kansas City.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 on Mt Loma Prieta: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
17207
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
13107
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Loma Prieta
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft hit power cables and crashed on the slope of Mt Loma Prieta (3,786 feet high) located about 15 miles south of San José. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all four crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor.
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