Crash of a Boeing B-17G-105-BO Flying Fortress near Westover AFB: 25 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
43-39136
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Gander - Westover - Mitchell
MSN:
10114
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from Gander to Mitchell AFB, Long Island, with an intermediate stop in Westover AFB. While descending to Westover, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and thunderstorm activity, and turn about two hours over the area for improvement. On final approach, while flying at a height of 800 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Tom (1,000 feet high) located about 8 miles northwest of the airport. The aircraft crashed about 180 feet from the summit and was totally destroyed, killing all 25 occupants.
Crew:
F/O Herman J. Valdrini Jr.,
Cpt Henry A. Lebrecht,
1Lt Wayne L. Austin,
F/O Samuel A. Turrentine,
Sgt Daniel R. Roe,
Pfc Howard E. Carson,
Pfc Eulogio Sanchez,
Pfc Rex A. Tansey.
Passengers:
Lt Frank G. Meriam,
Lt Wilfred U. Johnson,
Lt George E. Orford,
Hugh J. Worth,
Lee Winnard,
Russell S. Scott,
Alfred L. Warm,
Arnold J. Simons,
Ernest R. Gillis,
George R. Benfield,
George E. Fleming,
Arthur C. Miller,
Stanley P. Warshaw,
Gregory S. Davenport,
David F. Archilles,
Lt Pasquale P. Coviello,
Mr. Arthur Bailey (American Red Cross).
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew started the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to fly below the minimum safe altitude. Due to poor visibility (night, clouds and rain falls), the crew was unable to distinguish the hill.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-201F in Chicago

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC28383
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chicago – South Bend
MSN:
4091
YOM:
1941
Flight number:
TW456
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2559
Captain / Total hours on type:
2261.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2939
Copilot / Total hours on type:
381
Aircraft flight hours:
14043
Circumstances:
After takeoff, while climbing to a height of some 600 feet, the left engine failed. The crew informed ATC about the situation and obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing. While trying to restart the left engine, the right engine failed as well. The aircraft stalled and crashed on a railway road located few hundred yards from the runway threshold. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all 21 occupants were evacuated with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident was the complete loss of power in both engines due to fuel starvation necessitating an emergency landing in an unfavorable area. The cause for fuel starvation of the engines has not been determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina in Escambia Bay: 2 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
08307
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pensacola - Pensacola
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed into the Escambia Bay while performing a training sortie from Pensacola NAS, killing both crew members.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster in Chicago-Midway

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N30065
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chicago - Chicago
MSN:
10388
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training mission consisting of approaches, landings and touch and goes. On final approach, during the last segment, the aircraft was in an excessive rate of descent and hit violently the runway surface. All undercarriage and both wings were sheared off and the aircraft came to rest. All four crew members who were carrying a check flight were injured. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the approach configuration was incorrect with a too high rate of descent (excessive nose down attitude) during the last segment of the flight.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 in Patuxent River NAS: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
17144
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Patuxent River - Patuxent River
MSN:
12334
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While flying in the vicinity of the Patuxent River NAS during a local training sortie, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. The aircraft crashed and all four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor in Manhattan: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-47570
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Lake Charles - Newark
MSN:
7977
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While overflying New York city in poor visibility due to fog, the crew started the descent to Newark when the twin engine aircraft hit the 58th floor of the Bank of Manhattan Building located 40 Wall Street. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and all four crew members were killed. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the building or on the ground.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-95-VE Flying Fortress in Hamilton AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
44-85510
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Clovis - Mines Field - Hamilton
MSN:
8417
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Aircraft took off from Clovis Army Air Field in New Mexico, bound for Hamilton AAF in Marin County. The plane stopped at Mines Field in Los Angeles, refueled, retook to the skies at 2317LT and was due to arrive at Hamilton at 0117LT in the morning, but the pilot, according to the Army investigation, lost his way while trying to locate Hamilton Field. At around 0200LT in the morning, and five minutes from its destination, the pilot radioed Hamilton Field for radar assistance in landing. But, shortly after 0200LT, the engines of the bomber, starved of fuel, quit, and the bomber smashed into a 1300-foot peak of White's Hill, some nine miles short of the airfield. Striking the hill only six feet below its top, the plane bounced over the top, thudded across the rough terrain, and slid to a grinding halt that churned up earth and rock for more than 100 yards, and scattering wreckage for 300 yards. Dazed, confounded, and startled by the crash, the pilot and co-pilot extricated themselves out of the wreckage of his once-proud aircraft. Still trapped in the wreckage were five of their crew. Stumbling and clawing their way through the morning darkness towards the city lights they saw in the distant, they reached a retirement home, from which they alerted the airfield. Killed instantly in the First Lieutenant Milton M. Souza, 25, of Santa Clara. CA. and Master Sergeant E. B. Nichols, of Clovis, NM. Rescuers chopped a hole through the wreckage with an axe to extricate a Lieutenant Colonel from the fuselage. He was then strapped on a litter with his parachute shrouds and brought down the hillside. It took a total of six hours to free the five trapped men from the plane, two of whom were seriously injured.
Source:
http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/Marin_B-17_crash.htm
Probable cause:
The accident investigation concluded that: "The pilot, due to lack of judgment, common sense and apparent disregard and/or unfamiliarity with facilities available to him, failed to properly follow instructions in preparing for let down. It is believed that the accident was 100% pilot error."

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Richmond: 27 killed

Date & Time:
Registration:
NC53218
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newark – Norfolk – Richmond – Atlanta – Houston
MSN:
19626
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Captain / Total flying hours:
2566
Captain / Total hours on type:
2325.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
500
Copilot / Total hours on type:
100
Aircraft flight hours:
1180
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Richmond-Byrd Field Airport, while flying at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the crew informed ATC that an engine failed and obtained the permission to return to Richmond. In heavy rain falls and by night, the crew missed the airport and was forced to make a go around. Few seconds later, while trying to gain height, the aircraft went out of control and crashed 6 miles south of the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 27 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident was the inability of the pilot to maintain adequate control of the aircraft to effect an emergency single-engine instrument approach under adverse weather conditions. Contributing factors were: The decision of the pilot to continue the flight into weather conditions that were considered as unsafe; the negligence of the pilot in failing to have an inspection of the aircraft engines made prior to departure from Richmond; the action of the pilot in shutting down the wrong engine when experiencing excessive vibration from a power plant; and the pilot's neglect in failing to retract the landing gear during an emergency go-around.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer in Munson: 13 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
59437
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pensacola - Pensacola
MSN:
59437
YOM:
1943
Location:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Engaged in an exercise, the aircraft collided in flight with another USN Privateer registered 59721 and carrying 10 crew members. The collision occurred in unknown circumstances and both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located in Munson, some 35 miles northeast of Pensacola. All 23 crew members in both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer in Munson: 10 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
59721
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pensacola - Pensacola
MSN:
59721
YOM:
1943
Location:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Engaged in an exercise, the aircraft collided in flight with another USN Privateer registered 59437 and carrying 13 crew members. The collision occurred in unknown circumstances and both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located in Munson, some 35 miles northeast of Pensacola. All 23 crew members in both aircraft were killed.