Date & Time:
Mar 6, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-37886
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Flight number:
8672
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route, the four engine aircraft was attacked by a German fighter. Crew bailed out but the aircraft went into a spin and hit a second USAAF Boeing B-17G-10-VE Flying Fortress registered 42-40054 and carrying 10 crew as well. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Zwartemeer, near Emmen, at the border between The Netherlands and Germany. Both aircraft were destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and four crew were killed on each aircraft while twelve other crew (six in each aircraft) were captured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by fighter.
