Date & Time:
Dec 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5123
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Great Falls - Great Falls
MSN:
3662
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
11
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While flying over Melstone, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reason. Shortly later, it went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed on the slope of Mt Bull located south of Musselshell. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew (2nd BG):
Ed Layfield, pilot,
Gerald Beem, copilot,
Lewis Newland, navigator,
Chester Knight, bombardier,
Fred Brown, flight engineer,
Hulon Dutton, radio operator,
Chas Valys, air gunner,
Wallace Hanson, air gunner,
Fred Murray, air gunner,
Hobart Hall, air gunner,
Orville Ralston, air gunner.
Crew (2nd BG):
Ed Layfield, pilot,
Gerald Beem, copilot,
Lewis Newland, navigator,
Chester Knight, bombardier,
Fred Brown, flight engineer,
Hulon Dutton, radio operator,
Chas Valys, air gunner,
Wallace Hanson, air gunner,
Fred Murray, air gunner,
Hobart Hall, air gunner,
Orville Ralston, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Unknown in flight fire.
