Date & Time:
Sep 15, 1944 at 0330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-50890
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bakersfield - Kirtland AFB
MSN:
2775
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
8
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total hours on type:
512
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
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.
