Date & Time:
May 5, 1944 at 1026 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC21788
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Miami - Savannah
MSN:
2187
YOM:
1940
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left Miami Airport bound for Savannah on behalf of the USAAF. After departure, the crew was allowed to climb to 3,000 feet along the east coast of Florida. In the same region was flying a USAAF Consolidated B-24D Liberator registered 41-11889 with a crew of four on board. The crew departed Homestead AFB in the morning for a training exercise. En route, both aircraft collided and crashed into the sea, less than one mile from each other. All eight occupants on board both aircraft were killed and the wreckage were found some 6 miles southeast of Lake Worth.
Probable cause:
Investigations determined that both aircraft were flying face to face at the altitude of 1,500 feet when the collision occurred. It appears that both crews did not realize the presence of each other because their attention was focused on cockpit duties and workload.
