Crash of a Boeing B-29MR-90-BW Superfortress at Andersen AFB: 19 killed
Date & Time:
Dec 17, 1953 at 0648 LT
Operator:
Registration:
44-87741
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Andersen – Kwajalein – Mountain Home
MSN:
12544
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The heavy bomber left Andersen AFB at 0605LT on its way back to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, via Kwajalein Island. Shortly after takeoff, the engine number two failed. The crew was able to shot it down and feathered the propeller. On final approach to runway 07R, after passing through the last cloud layer, the pilot-in-command decided to make a go around and following a circuit before starting a second approach few minutes later. While struggling to land the second time, he turned the B-29 into the feathered propeller at too steep of an angle, with the landing gear down, and flaps retracted which caused the bomber to lose lift and control. The aircraft banked 80° to the left and crashed in a near vertical position onto several houses located short of runway. Among the 16 occupants, all four crew members and five passengers were killed, seven others were injured. On the ground, ten people were killed, among them six kids and two entire families.
Crew:
1st Lt Henry G. Oetgen, pilot, †
1st Lt Sophus Eddie Larsen, copilot, †
1st Lt Dominick J. Christopher, navigator, †
T/Sgt John M. Reilly, flight engineer, †
1st Lt Howard L. DeBoer, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Homer A. Pickrell, gunner, †
T/Sgt Fred Leard, †
A3c Donald J. Wagner, †
A2c Francis L. Murray, †
1st Lt Jack Patton,
A2c Robert L. Jensen,
A1c Donald C. Van Doren,
A1c William J. Backman,
A2c Nelson H. Graham,
A2c Roberto Duran,
A2c Walter R. Newby.
Those killed on the ground were:
Lt Col Benjamin L. Mills, his wife Agnes, and his three daughters Margaret 9, Helen 5, and Martha 2,
Maj Gerald A. Orken, his wife Shirley, his daughter Vivian 5, and son Steven 3,
Bonnie Kimball, 11, daughter of Cpt Stanley J. Kimball.
Source:
http://www.andersen.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/638565/60th-anniversary-of-the-worst-peacetime-accident-at-andersen/
Crew:
1st Lt Henry G. Oetgen, pilot, †
1st Lt Sophus Eddie Larsen, copilot, †
1st Lt Dominick J. Christopher, navigator, †
T/Sgt John M. Reilly, flight engineer, †
1st Lt Howard L. DeBoer, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Homer A. Pickrell, gunner, †
T/Sgt Fred Leard, †
A3c Donald J. Wagner, †
A2c Francis L. Murray, †
1st Lt Jack Patton,
A2c Robert L. Jensen,
A1c Donald C. Van Doren,
A1c William J. Backman,
A2c Nelson H. Graham,
A2c Roberto Duran,
A2c Walter R. Newby.
Those killed on the ground were:
Lt Col Benjamin L. Mills, his wife Agnes, and his three daughters Margaret 9, Helen 5, and Martha 2,
Maj Gerald A. Orken, his wife Shirley, his daughter Vivian 5, and son Steven 3,
Bonnie Kimball, 11, daughter of Cpt Stanley J. Kimball.
Source:
http://www.andersen.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/638565/60th-anniversary-of-the-worst-peacetime-accident-at-andersen/
Probable cause:
The failure of the engine number two was caused by overheating of the hydraulic liquid and cylinders. Thick smoke came out when an exhaust pipe broke off. The crew was forced to shot the engine down and to feather the propeller. In such conditions, the control was difficult.
