Date & Time:
Mar 8, 1952 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-100593
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Madrid - Fürstenfeldbruck
MSN:
19056
YOM:
1943
Country:
Switzerland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Madrid-Barajas to the airbase of Fürstenfeldbruck located west of Munich. At 1455LT, while cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet, the radio operator informed ground about his position three km south of Dijon. Apparently due to navigation errors, the airplane then continued to the east over the Swiss Alps when it hit the slope of a mountain surrounding the Guggi Glacier. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, Swiss authorities were contacted at the end of the day by the USAF quarters in Frankfurt-Main AB that an airplane was missing. SAR operations were conducted by locals and the wreckage was found a day later at an altitude of 3,000 meters. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all eight occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Col Gus John Mehess, pilot,
Lt Col Robert L. Spear, copilot,
Maj Samuel D. McFadden, instructor pilot,
Sgt Earl D. Clay, radio operator,
Cpl Boyd F. Crook, flight engineer,
Lt Col Orville H. Riggs, observer,
Maj Ralph C. Adams, observer.
Passenger:
Erwin L. Steinert, radio operator.
Source & photo:
http://www.bezg.ch/img/publikation/12_1/01_12_BEZG_cornioley.pdf
Crew:
Lt Col Gus John Mehess, pilot,
Lt Col Robert L. Spear, copilot,
Maj Samuel D. McFadden, instructor pilot,
Sgt Earl D. Clay, radio operator,
Cpl Boyd F. Crook, flight engineer,
Lt Col Orville H. Riggs, observer,
Maj Ralph C. Adams, observer.
Passenger:
Erwin L. Steinert, radio operator.
Source & photo:
http://www.bezg.ch/img/publikation/12_1/01_12_BEZG_cornioley.pdf
Probable cause:
Navigation error on part of the crew.
