Crash of a Douglas A-26B-45-DL Invader off Gunsan: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-34098
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gunsan - Gunsan
MSN:
27377
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 24 at Gunsan AFB, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea about a mile off shore. Two crew members were killed while two others were rescued.
Crew:
2nd Lt Charles M. Familia, †
1st LT James B. Gorral Jr.,
1st Lt William F. McMurry, †
2nd Lt Wallace D. Stewart.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control was caused by an engine failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-45-BN Superfortress near Kaesŏng

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-61776
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Yokota - Yokota
MSN:
11253
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the engine number one and four failed. All 11 crew members decided to bail out and abandoned the heavy bomber that dove into the ground and crashed about 5 km north of Kaesŏng. All 11 crew members were found alive while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of engine number one and four in flight.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-60-BW Superfortress off Kaesŏng: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-69803
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10635
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route, the airplane suffered engine problems and one of them caught fire. Apparently, seven crew members were able to bail out and were later rescued while five others were killed when the heavy bomber crashed into the sea few km west of Kaesŏng.
Crew:
S/Sgt Thomas C. Baker, †
Cpt Osborne T. Carlisle, †
1st Lt James W. Carney,
A2C Willard M. Denn, †
1st Lt Carl G. Happ Jr., †
Sgt James W. Hendricks,
Sgt Theodore G. Lincoln,
Cpt Joseph R. Manion,
1st Lt William R. Mowder,
2nd Lt Lawrence A. Nelson, †
Sgt Lloyd D. Smith,
S/Sgt Herbert Vonderkall.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B-61-DL Invader near Sariwon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-34529
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
27808
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While performing a night intruder mission, the aircraft was shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire and crashed between the cities of Sinchon and Sariwon. A crew member was killed while three others were taken POW.
Crew:
S/Sgt Richard D. Abbott,
Cpt Byron A. Dobbs Jr.,
2nd Lt James L. Stanley,
1st Lt Raymond C. Wilk. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-90-BW Superfortress in Yokota AFB: 18 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-21721
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
13615
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Yokota AFB, while climbing in snow falls, the heavy bomber went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion on several houses located about 5 km northwest of the airfield. All 13 crew members and five people on the ground were killed.
Crew:
Col John Grable, pilot,
2nd Lt Richard Johnson, pilot,
Cpt Robert Belcher, navigator,
T/Sgt Robert Crutchfield, flight engineer,
1st Lt Allen Frisbee Baker, bombardier,
Sgt Edward Caron, gunner,
Cpl Edward Ebehart, gunner,
Sgt Neal Heffernan, gunner,
1st Lt Robert Henry,
Cpl Owen J. Imsdahl,
Cpl Walter Setser,
Maj Daniel D. Smith Jr.,
M/Sgt Howard Thompson.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-60-BN Superfortress into the Oriental China Sea: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1952 at 2154 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-62083
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
11560
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The heavy bomber left Kadena AFB at the end of the day on a bombing mission to Korea. Around 2154LT, the last radio contact was recorded while the aircraft was cruising about 100 miles north of its departure point. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew:
Cpt Robert H. Adams,
1st Charles E. Allen Jr.,
2nd Lt Richard G. Bristol,
Cpt Robert R. Hebert,
Cpl James W. McLain,
1st Lt Irwin Moldafsky,
Cpl Leonard G. Owens,
2nd Lt Paul H. Reiche,
M/Sgt James Ruska,
T/Sgt Arthur H. Schuman,
Pfc Clem L. Stinnett,
Cpt William E. Threlkeld,
Cpl Merlyn K. Williams.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B-45-DL Invader in Sinuiju: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1952 at 1745 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-34200
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
27479
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While a night intruder mission over the Sinuiju region, the crew made a last radio contact at 1745LT when the airplane disappeared in unknown circumstances. No trace was found.
Crew:
Col James L. McBride Jr.,
S/Sgt Richard C. Ross,
2nd Lt Joseph C. Wallack.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B-66-DL Invader near Kanggye: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1951 at 2150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-34704
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
27983
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a night intruder mission over North Korea. While flying between the cities of Kujang and Kanggye, the crew completed his last radio contact at 2150LT while approaching the target area. The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances and no trace of it nor the crew was found.
Crew:
Cpt Jack M. Beeson,
T/Sgt John E. Grabosky,
1st Lt Martin R. Roberts.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B-61-DL Invader in Pyongyang: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1951 at 1455 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-34514
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
27793
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While approaching the target in Pyongyang, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. Apparently, two crew members survived while the third occupant was killed. Last contact at 1455LT.
Crew:
A1c William R. Hylicord,
1st Lt Henry D. Miller, †
1st Lt Harold A. Steiner.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-35-MO Superfortress in Kadena AFB: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-27314
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Less than three minutes after takeoff from Kadena AFB, bound for Korea, the heavy bomber went out of control and crashed in a field located 8 km east of the airbase. Nine crew members were killed while three others were injured.
Crew:
1st Lt Howard T. Coyler, †
Cpl Louis S. Dent Jr.,
S/Sgt George E. Evenskaas, †
Sgt H. J. Groves,
1st Lt David H. Hogan, †
1st Lt Ralph U. Hooper, †
S/Sgt Robert L. Kaufman, †
Cpl Charles E. Lint,
1st Lt William L. McLain Jr., †
1st Lt Raymond J. Rood, †
Maj George R. Salisbury, †
Sgt Sherrill L. Stokes. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure shortly after takeoff.