Region
North America
code

USA

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando in Sedalia AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77557
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sedalia - Sedalia
MSN:
32953
YOM:
1944
Location:
Sedalia AFB
Missouri
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Sedalia AFB runway 13, while climbing to a height of 500 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Thomas D. Smith,
1st Lt Edward B. Ziegler.
Probable cause:
The crew did not prepare the flight properly and failed to check the aircraft prior to departure, leaving the elevator gust locks in place. In such condition, the aircraft was unable to climb properly.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45 in Charleston

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Cuerpo de Aviación del Ejército de Cuba (1918-1952)
Registration:
212
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Washington DC – Charleston
MSN:
8350
Location:
Charleston-Intl
South Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Charleston Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed short of runway and came to rest. While all three occupants were injured, the aircraft was written off.
Crew:
Lt Zorilla,
Lt Henderson.
Passenger:
Maj Rivero.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-50-MO Superfortress at Kirtland AFB: 13 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-86329
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kirtland - Kirtland
Location:
Kirtland AFB
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kirtland AFB, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. There were 14 crew members on board. 13 were killed and the only survivor was the pilot John Parker Shaw.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-201C near Darlington: 1 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC25647
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Washington DC – Columbia
MSN:
2235
YOM:
1940
Flight number:
EA045
Location:
Darlington
South Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
21154
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 3,100 feet, the DC-3 collided with a USAAF Douglas A-26C-35-DT Invader. Registered 44-35553, it was performing a training sortie from Florence with a crew of two on board. Following the collision, the Invader went out of control and crashed in a field located near Darlington, some 12 miles northwest of Florence. Both crew members were killed. On his side, the crew of the DC-3 was able to make an emergency landing and one passenger was killed.
Probable cause:
On the basis of the evidence available at this time the Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of each pilot to see the other aircraft in time to avoid collision. Contributing factors were the DC3 pilot's deviation from the airway in the proximity of an active USAAF base and his lack of vigilance, and the Army-pilot's continuing a maneuver which restricted his vision in an area not set aside for such maneuvers.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-35-DT Invader near Darlington: 2 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Registration:
44-35553
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Florence - Florence
MSN:
7456
YOM:
1943
Location:
Darlington
South Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
1400
Captain / Total hours on type:
300.00
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 3,100 feet, the Invader collided with an Eastern Airlines DC-3 registered NC25647 and performing flight EA045 from Washington DC to Columbia with 20 passengers and a crew of four on board. Following the collision, the Invader went out of control and crashed in a field located near Darlington, some 12 miles northwest of Florence. Both crew members were killed. On his side, the crew of the DC-3 was able to make an emergency landing and one passenger was killed.
Probable cause:
On the basis of the evidence available at this time the Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of each pilot to see the other aircraft in time to avoid collision. Contributing factors were the DC3 pilot's deviation from the airway in the proximity of an active USAAF base and his lack of vigilance, and the Army-pilot's continuing a maneuver which restricted his vision in an area not set aside for such maneuvers.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated C-10 Catalina in Burgaw: 7 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
6504
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1136
Location:
Burgaw
North Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Burgaw, killing all seven crew members.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Spring Lake: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-16101
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fort Sumner – Greenville
MSN:
20567
YOM:
1944
Location:
Spring Lake
Texas
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:
Enroute from Fort Sumner to Greenville, Texas, while cruising in bad weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control, disintegrated in the air and crash in a prairie in Spring Lake. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/Sgt Joseph V. Andruskevich,
Pfc Christine H. Davis,
1st Lt Frederick H. Jacoby,
S/Sgt Merle W. Sullivan,
1st Lt Rex M. Tharp.

Crash of a Boeing TB-29A Super Fortress near the Guadalupe Peak: 12 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-69943
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Davis Monthan – Mobile – Davis Monthan
MSN:
10775
YOM:
1945
Location:
Guadalupe Peak
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Captain / Total flying hours:
850
Captain / Total hours on type:
456.00
Aircraft flight hours:
383
Circumstances:
While cruising by night and low visibility, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located south of the Guadalupe Peak, southeast of Pine Springs, west Texas. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 12 crew members were killed. They were conducting a night training sortie from Davis Monthan to Mobile and return.
Crew (233rd Unit):
F/O Eugene R. Chale,
1st Lt James Harrison Couch,
2nd Lt James M. Green,
Sgt Aristo Landers,
M/Sgt Orval R. Lawless,
Cpl Ralph I. Martin,
1st Lt Joseph J. Mennen Jr.,
Pfc Clark J. Moore,
Sgt Fayette H. Stanfield,
F/O James A. Thomas,
2nd Lt Wesley A. Waldron,
F/O Ernest E. Wilson.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was cruising at an insufficient altitude estimated between 5,000 and 5,400 feet by night. According to investigators, such flight should not be conducted by night as the crew was not familiarized with the topography of this region. No technical failure was pointed out on the aircraft. Also, the preflight briefing on behalf of the crew was incomplete.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 in Kahului

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
17161
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kahului - Kahului
MSN:
12517
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kahului
Hawaii
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach to Kahului Airfield. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Gold Run: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-107339
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Reno – Long Beach
MSN:
27026
YOM:
1944
Location:
Gold Run
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Reno on a high level training flight bound for Long Beach, California. Enroute, weather conditions worsened and the captain decided to return to Reno. Few minutes later, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in the American River Canyon located in Gold Run. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed. There are conflicting versions about the reason of occurrence as one revealed that the loss of control was caused by an explosion in the right wing and the separation of both wings shortly later, and the second version mentioned a fire in the cockpit.
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