Date & Time:
Oct 25, 1943 at 1605 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-7673
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fairmont - Fairmont
MSN:
697
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total hours on type:
42
Circumstances:
A formation of four Consolidated Liberator left Fairmont AFB in the afternoon for a training mission. While cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet, the crew of 42-7657 decided to leave the formation. Crew of the 42-7673 received the order to take the vacant place. During this process, the top of the tail of 42-7657 hit the other aircraft. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located near Millingan. While the copilot of 42-7673 bailed out and was later found unhurt, all 17 other occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Crew of 42-7673:
2nd Lt James H. Williams, pilot, †
2nd Lt Melvin Klein, copilot,
2nd Lt William E. Herzog, navigator, †
2nd Lt Kenneth S. Ordway, bombardier, †
Sgt James H. Bobbitt, flight engineer, †
Sgt William D. Watkins, assistant engineer, †
Sgt William G. Williams, air gunner, †
Sgt Wilbur H. Chamberlin, radio operator, †
Sgt Edward O. Boucher, air gunner, †
Sgt Ursulo Galindo Jr., air gunner. †
Crew of 42-7673:
2nd Lt James H. Williams, pilot, †
2nd Lt Melvin Klein, copilot,
2nd Lt William E. Herzog, navigator, †
2nd Lt Kenneth S. Ordway, bombardier, †
Sgt James H. Bobbitt, flight engineer, †
Sgt William D. Watkins, assistant engineer, †
Sgt William G. Williams, air gunner, †
Sgt Wilbur H. Chamberlin, radio operator, †
Sgt Edward O. Boucher, air gunner, †
Sgt Ursulo Galindo Jr., air gunner. †
Probable cause:
According to the US Military Command, the in flight collision was caused by several errors on part of both crew on board both aircraft registered respectively 42-7657 and 42-7673, as they did not pay sufficient attention during the process and they did not observe a sufficient and safe distance between both aircraft.
