Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Khartoum

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Valetta
Operator:
Registration:
VX492
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Khartoum
Khartoum (الخرطوم)
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, the left engine suffered technical issues. The pilot-in-command informed ground and received the permission to return for a safe landing. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest against a sand dune. While all crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Partial failure of the left engine after takeoff.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor on the Mt Vorder Galmihorn: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1952 at 1358 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Registration:
B-7
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Geneva – Dübendorf
MSN:
7930
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Vorder Galmihorn
Valais
Country:
Switzerland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was on his way from Geneva to Dübendorf, near Zurich, when the twin engine aircraft hit the south side of the Mt Vorder Galmihorn (3,517 metres high) located north of the village of Grafschaft. The wreckage was found a day later and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt H. Schafroth, pilot,
Maj M. Brenneisen,
P. Weder, engineer,
H. Früh (Radio Suisse).

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando in North Korea: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1952 at 0202 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-78038
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
33434
YOM:
1945
Location:
North Korea
All North Korea
Country:
North Korea
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night intrusion mission. The last radio contact was at 0202LT when the airplane disappeared in unknown circumstances. While nine crew members appears to be killed, Sgt Leo A. Poldervaart survived and became PoW. He was repatriated on 31 August 1953. It is believed that a double agent detonated a grenade before bail out.
Crew:
Cpt Lawrence E. Burger, †
Cpl Dean R. Crabb, †
1st Lt John F. Dick, †
1st Lt Dennis F. Haley, †
M/Sgt David T. Harrison, †
Cpt Guy O. King, †
1st Lt Eugene E. Layer, †
Sgt Leo A. Poldervaart,
S/Sgt Thomas W. Rowden, †
Cpl George G. Tatarakis. †

Crash of a Lockheed A-28A Hudson in Recife

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
6050
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
414-7175
YOM:
1943
Location:
Recife
Pernambuco
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Recife-Guararapes Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft hit the roof of a house and crashed. Both crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Curuzú Cuatiá

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
T-20
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Curuzú Cuatiá
MSN:
20479
YOM:
1944
Location:
Curuzú Cuatiá
Corrientes
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The final approach was completed with one engine inoperative when the airplane stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. All occupants were evacuated safely while the airplane was damaged beyond repair. The airplane was en route from Buenos Aires to Curuzú Cuatiá on a sanitary mission, carrying two medical ventilation equipment.
Probable cause:
It is reported that an engine was shot down by the crew following an in-flight fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D in Hoengseong AFB

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
45-0932
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16935/34194
YOM:
1945
Location:
Hoengseong AFB
Gangwon (강원도)
Country:
South Korea
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed for unknown reason. There were no casualties while the aircraft was written off and used for spares.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X near Le Vigan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 619 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
RP383
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Northolt – Luqa
Location:
Le Vigan
Gard
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions and at an insufficient altitude, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain shrouded in clouds. The wreckage was found near Le Vigan, about 45 km north of Montpellier. All seven crew members were killed. It was determined that the aircraft was slightly off course at the time of the accident, maybe following a navigational error on part of the crew. The poor visibility caused by low clouds was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Douglas C-124A Globemaster II in McChord AFB

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
Operator:
Registration:
49-0251
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
43180
YOM:
1949
Location:
McChord AFB
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed for unknown reason. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Lucknow

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1952
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Registration:
HW516
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lucknow – New Delhi
MSN:
04159
YOM:
1948
Location:
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Lucknow Airport, while climbing, an engine failed. The crew elected to make an emergency landing in an open field where the airplane came to rest. All eight occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure shortly after liftoff.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-95-BW Superfortress near Yokosuka

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
45-21822
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
13716
YOM:
1945
Location:
Yokosuka
Kantō
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, an engine caught fire and exploded. All 13 crew members decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a mountainous area located 7 km west of Yokosuka. The airplane was destroyed while all 13 crew members were found alive.
Crew:
Cpt Norman T. Abercrombie,
1st Lt Cecile C. Choato,
Sgt Bruce H. Gilbert,
2nd Lt James Guinane,
Cpt Raymond M. Lajeunesse,
Cpt Julian C. Meadows,
Sgt Jerry M. Murry,
M/Sgt Clarence C. Price,
Cpl Loyal Robinson,
Sgt Franklin E. Rynot,
Pfc Donald H. Thomas,
Col Delmore P. Wood.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion in flight.
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