Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Terminal Island NAS: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
46599
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1963
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at Terminal Island NAS. At least three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL near Mackall AFB: 12 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-23783
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lumberton - Lumberton
MSN:
9645
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Crashed some 5 miles W of AAF Camp Mackall Field, while on a night parachute drop exercise. The airplane was part of a six-ship formation that had departed Lumberton AAF on a night time parachute drop. The aircraft were flying in a V of V's formation dropping parachute supply bundles near Camp MacKall. The aircraft collided with the parachute bundle dropped from a preceding airplane. The bundle hit the control surface of the right hand wing. The airplane rolled out of control and entered a spin. The pilot could not recover from the spin and the airplane crashed and burned.
Source: http://www.joebaugher.com
Probable cause:
In flight collision with a parachute bundle.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 in Louisburg: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
39077
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
10204
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training exercise. While practicing stalls, the crew lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All five crew members were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando near Speculator: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-107397
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Syracuse - Syracuse
MSN:
27084
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a night training exercise and left Syracuse Airport in the evening. While cruising at an altitude of 3,200 feet, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Blue Ridge located some 12 miles northwest of Speculator. All three occupants were killed. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft was found. Eventually, the wreckage was spotted in August 1945.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL on Mt Deception: 19 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
43-15738
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Anchorage - Fairbanks
MSN:
20204
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
En route, while flying in marginal weather conditions and at insufficient altitude, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Deception located in the Denali National Park. All nineteen occupants were killed.
Crew:
Roy Proebstle, pilot,
Peter Blivens, copilot,
James A. George Jr.
Passengers:
Mr Carl V. Harris,
Lt Athel L. Gill,
SIC Bernard J. Ortego,
CWO Floyd M. Appleman,
Sgt William E. Backus,
Maj Rudolph F. Bostelman,
Lt Orlando J. Buck,
Cpl Charles Dykema,
Pvt Charles E. Ellis,
T-5 Maurice R. Gibbs,
Pvt Anthony Kasper,
PFC Alfred S. Madison,
Pvt Howard A. Pevey,
PFC Clifford E. Phillips,
T-4 Timothy D. Stevens,
T-5 Edward S. Stoering.

Crash of a Consolidated TB-24J Liberator near Flagstaff: 8 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-50890
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bakersfield - Kirtland AFB
MSN:
2775
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
762
Captain / Total hours on type:
512.00
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Bakersfield to the Kirtland Field AFB in New Mexico. While cruising by night at an altitude of 12,000 feet, the crew maintained a last contact radio with ATC at 0302LT. Less than thirty minutes later, the bomber aircraft hit the west slope of Mt Humphreys located some 10 miles north of Flagstaff and disintegrated. The wreckage was reached by the SAR teams in the next early morning and all eight occupants perished.
Photos available on:
http://www.lostflights.com/Other-1/91544-USAAF-Consolidated-B-24J/5673630_LqhLS2
Probable cause:
According to the investigation, the visibility was poor due to the presence of clouds down to 6,000 feet and at the time of the accident, the aircraft was off course by 15 miles following a navigation error on part of the crew.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina in Jacksonville NAS: 6 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2406
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jacksonville - Jacksonville
MSN:
222
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Following a maritime patrol flight, the seaplane was returning to its base at Jacksonville-Towers Field NAS. On final approach by night, the aircraft was too low and hit an approach light and crashed into the St Johns River short of runway threshold. Six crew members were killed while two others were rescued.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL in Sedalia AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-24317
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vichy - Sedalia
MSN:
10179
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
A formation of nine C-47's left Vichy Airport in the evening of September 14 bound for Sedalia AFB. On approach, the formation separated, making a line for landing, when C-47 registered 42-24317 collided with 42-24321. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field. Both pilots on both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL in Sedalia AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-24321
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
10183
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
A formation of nine C-47's left Vichy Airport in the evening of September 14 bound for Sedalia AFB. On approach, the formation separated, making a line for landing, when C-47 registered 42-24317 collided with 42-24321. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field. Both pilots on both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-10-DC in Presque Ile: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-72211
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Presque Ile - Presque Ile
MSN:
10316
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight and left runway 19. During initial climb, while at a height of some 1,000 feet, the pilot made a 30° left turn when the control was lost. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a potatoes field located 4 km from the airfield. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It appears that the loss of control was caused by a improper configuration of the elevator trim tab.