United States of America

On final approach to Corpus Christi NAS, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed. At least one crew member was killed.

On final approach to Quonset Point NAS, both engines failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea few miles off shore. All eight crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

The crew was performing a training flight from Eglin AFB. Enroute, an unexpected situation forced to crew to abandon the aircraft that crashed into the sea two miles off Destin. Two crew members, F/Lt John Kubo and T/Sgt Joseph A. Riley were rescued while the body of T/Sgt John E. Brizendine was never found.

Crashed in unknown circumstances on Mt Baird located in the Cowlitz county, Washington. All three crew members were killed.

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.

Aircraft NC 22077 departed from Providence, Rhode Island, for White Plains, New York, at about 0730 March 19, 1948. The aircraft carried the pilot, Herman F. Burlingame III, his wife Ruth L. Burlingame, their infant daughter Kathleen, and George H. Armitage, as well as four Chow dogs and personal baggage. Arriving at Westchester Airport, White Plains, one hour and 20 minutes later, aircraft NC22077 was serviced with 118 gallons of fuel. At 0935 the aircraft departed from White Plains, the pilot telling airport officials that he intended to fly either to Hadley Field, New Brunswick, New Jersey, or Solberg-Hunterdon Airport, White House, New Jersey. Two hours and 31 minutes later the aircraft returned to White Plains, Mr. Burlingame telling airport officials that he had not landed at either of the alternative destinations. The aircraft was parked for the night, after being serviced with 85 gallons of fuel. The following morning, March 20, 1948, at 0550 the flight departed from White Plains for St. Louis, Missouri. The aircraft carried an additional four persons who had joined the original group at White Plains. The take-off weight could not be precisely determined, but it was close to the maximum allowable. No flight plan was filed with CAA Airways Traffic Control, and though NC22077 was equipped with two-way radio, no transmissions were received from the flight after its departure from White Plains. Consequently the exact route over which the flight proceeded is not known. Shortly after 0800, witnesses in the vicinity of the west portal of the Laurel Hill Tunnel of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, approximately 45 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, observed an aircraft flying at a low altitude on a northwesterly heading. It was flying in and out of low-hanging cloud fringes, and therefore, was not continuously visible. However, the aircraft was observed to approach the tunnel, circle in front of the portal, and then disappear into the overcast. After losing sight of the aircraft, some of the witnesses stated that they heard a surge of engine power, followed by the sound of a crash. Others, more distant, noticed that sound from the aircraft ceased abruptly. Since no other aircraft was observed in the vicinity at that time, there is no doubt but what it was NC22077 that these witnesses saw.

Take-off from Anchorage was accomplished at 2012, March 12, 1948, and the flight proceeded en route. 2 At 2028 the flight reported over the Wasilla Intersection, which is the intersection of the north course of the Anchorage radio range and the east course of the Skwentna radio range. This intersection is located 35 miles north 3 of Anchorage. Three minutes later, at 2031, the flight reported that it was at its cruising altitude of 11,000 feet. At 2042 the flight reported over Sheep Mountain, a non-directional radio beacon located 85 miles airways distance, 31 degrees, from Anchorage. At 2103 the flight reported being over the Gulkana radio range station, 159 miles, 34 degrees, from Anchorage, and at this time it estimated that it would be over Northway, Alaska, 283 miles from Anchorage, at 2136. Gulkana did not establish communication with the flight. However, the flight repeated its clearance into the Fairbanks area back to Northway, indicating that the flight could receive on 400 kcs, the frequencies for both the Northway radio range and communication. Shortly before the position report of 2103, the flight was observed flying an easterly heading approximately 4 miles south of the Gulkana radio range station. Approximately 42 miles, 51 degrees, from the Gulkana radio range station is Mt. Sanford, the elevation of which is 16,208 feet. In order to provide a safe lateral distance from Mt. Sanford for aircraft flying the route, the airway from Gulkana east is deflected to the north, its course being 23 degrees. Fifteen minutes after the flight was observed flying easterly from Gulkana a fire was observed on the western slope of Mt. Sanford. Except for a repeat transmission of the flight's Gulkana position report, overheard by Northway Radio 124 miles northeast of Gulkana and approximately one minute before the fire was observed on Mt. Sanford, no communication was received from the flight after 2103. Northwest Airlines, at 2150, requested from Anchorage Radio the reported time of the flight over Northway, at which time Anchorage Radio advised that neither the Northway nor the Gulkana stations had been able to contact the flight, and that a fire had been reported on Mt. Sanford. Radio facilities over the route were immediately alerted. Since all attempts to contact the flight were unsuccessful, it was concluded that the flight had struck Mt. Sanford and burned.

The takeoff roll and the first part of the climb appeared to be normal until the aircraft and progressed three-quarters of the way down the runway, at which time it had reached an altitude between 150 and 200 feet. Then, while still within the airport boundaries, it assumed a very steep, near vertical, climbing attitude. Airport, tower, and flight personal observing from the ground believed the flight to be in difficulty, and though no distress signal was received from the airplane, the tower promptly telephoned the crash and fire facilities on the field. At an altitude between 500 and 800 feet the airplane appeared to stall, and the nose and right wing dropped. A partial recovery from the stall was made before the aircraft crashed to the ground and burst into flames. A passenger was seriously injured while 12 other occupants were killed.

During the takeoff roll in Tulsa, the nose gear hit a snowdrift. After departure, during initial climb, the crew was unable to raise the nose gear so the captain decided to divert to Dallas-Love Field for a safe landing. After touchdown, the aircraft slid on its nose and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

The flight departed from Seattle, Washington, at approximately 1300, March 8, 1948, with a crew consisting of George S. Griebel, pilot, and William F. Grund, co-pilot. It carried 800 gallons of fuel, but no passengers or cargo, weighing at the time of take-off 21.963 pounds. At 1615, the flight reported over Red Bluff, California, at 12.000 feet, and requested clearance to descend to and cruise at 10.000 feet. Oakland Airway Traffic Control granted the request, and also cleared the flight to the Moffett radio range station. 25 miles southeast of San Francisco Municipal Airport, San Francisco, California. At 1715, the flight advised San Francisco Approach Control that it as holding northwest of the Moffett radio range station at 10,000 feet. In reply, San Francisco Approach Control directed the flight to hold between the Moffett radio range station and a point 2 minutes northwest of it. At the same time the flight was advised to expect clearance to the San Francisco Municipal Airport at 1745. Between 1717 and 1734 the flight, while flying its holding pattern, received clearance and descended from 10,000 to 6,000 feet. At 1741, it was cleared to make a “straight in” approach to the San Francisco Airport. It was directed to report when it crossed the Moffett radio range station and 4,000 feet, and to report again when it had descended below the overcast, A minute later, at 1742, the flight reported leaving the Moffett radio range station and 4,000 feet. Though the San Francisco Tower called repeatedly, this was the last communication received from the flight.
Between 1755 and 1805 a rancher in the vicinity of Mt. Hamilton heard a noise he thought to be either thunder or blasting. About 1945, after driving to another part of his ranch, he observed fire in the hills and realized then that the noise he had thought to be thunder was that of an aircraft crashing. It was midnight before a searching party reached the wreckage, which was approximately 20 miles east-southeast (on a bearing of 110 degrees) from the Moffett radio range station, and at an elevation of 1,800 feet.