Crash of a Fairchild C-82A Packet in Raunheim: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-57791
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
10161
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Frankfurt-Main Airport, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in few houses located in Raunheim, about 6 km west of the airport. While all five crew members were injured, three people on the ground were killed.

Crash of a Grumman SA-16A Albatross in the Dolomite Canyon

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1952 at 1830 LT
Operator:
Registration:
51-001
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Mountain Home - San Diego
MSN:
G-74
YOM:
1951
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, to San Diego. While cruising by night at an altitude of 11,000 feet, one of the engine failed. All six crew members decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed on the slope of the Towne Peak (7,287 feet high) located in the Dolomite canyon, in the Death Valley, about seven miles northeast of Panamint Springs. All six occupants were found unarmed while the aircraft was destroyed. It was later reported that the remaining engine was running normally at impact.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-90-BW Superfortress off Nampo: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-87734
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12537
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
En route from Kadena Airbase and while approaching the North Korean coast, the heavy bomber went out of control and crashed into the Yellow Sea few km off Nampo. No trace of the aircraft nor the 14 crew members was found.
Crew:
1st Lt James Argetis,
Cpl James L. Bell,
S/Sgt Richard B. Caldwell,
1st Lt Bartus H. Carter,
Cpl Roderick G. Conn,
1st Lt Thomas L. Eyres,
Cpt William R. Fisher,
M/Sgt Carrell T. Hodges,
Cpt Garold B. Kubicek,
S/Sgt Asa L. Law,
Pfc David Lewis,
2nd Lt Hugh K. Thomson,
Cpl George A. Wedsworth,
Cpl Travis C. Wldon.
Probable cause:
It is believed that a technical failure occurred on one engine from which the propeller blades detached in flight and hit the fuselage.

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.2 in RAF Marham: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SX923
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Upwood – Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
During the final approach completed by night with the flaps fully deployed, the engine number three failed. The airplane stalled and crashed in a huge explosion short of runway 06 threshold. Five crew members were killed while the sixth occupant was seriously injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt B. Wejman, †
F/Sgt R. E. Griffith, †
Sgt W. Pickering, †
Sgt F. R. Edwards, †
F/O M. L. Chatterjee, †
Sgt J. F. Groom.
Probable cause:
Failure of the engine number three.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor near Sprigno Saturnia: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1952 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MM61691
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Naples – Guidonia
MSN:
7958
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of the Mt Canale dello Stretto located near Sprigno Saturnia, killing both crew members.
Crew:
Cpt Ugo Filosa, pilot,
Mot Luigi Feroci, copilot.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B-61-DL Invader near Pyongyang: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1952 at 2350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-34600
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
27879
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
At 2350LT, while cruising about 16 km northwest of Pyongyang-Sunan Airport at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the pilot ordered the crew to bail out. Two of them were later recovered while two others were missed in action as the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances.
Crew:
Pfc Reynold G. Campbell, †
2nd Lt Harold W. Downes Jr., †
1st Lt Kenneth I. Enoch,
1st Lt John S. Quinn.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in RAF Burtonwood: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1952 at 1730 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-100912
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
19375
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew of a SUN Neptune registered 122443 was performing a local training mission at RAF Burtonwood. On touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and collided with the C-47 that was holding for takeoff with a crew of ten on board. Both aircraft were destroyed and among the 12 occupants on board the Neptune, one was killed while 11 others were injured. On board the C-47, six crew members were killed while four others were injured. At the time of the accident, the visibility was limited due to poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 off Singapore

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VW185
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
341
YOM:
17
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Singapore-Changi Airport, while in initial climb, the crew raised the landing gear when the aircraft went into a pitch up attitude. The pilot-in-command was able to regain control and attempted to ditch the aircraft into the sea, few hundred yards off shore. All three crew members were injured while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
The elevators jammed shortly after liftoff for unknown reason.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47D on Mt Armer: 28 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1951 at 1534 LT
Operator:
Registration:
44-76266
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
San Rafael – Williams – San Angelo – New York
MSN:
15850/32598
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Captain / Total flying hours:
1969
Captain / Total hours on type:
216.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1062
Circumstances:
The aircraft was carrying 19 cadets of the West Point Academy, five passengers and a crew of four from San Rafael to New York with intermediate stops in Williams AFB (Chandler, Arizona) and San Angelo, Texas. While approaching Phoenix from the northeast at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the pilot received the permission to descent to 6,000 feet when ATC requested his position in relation to Mt White Tank. The pilot said he overflew this mountain five minutes ago but the controller was convinced this was not the case. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a peak located in the Armer mountain range, about 66 miles northeast of Williams AFB. The wreckage was found two days later 100 feet from the summit and all 28 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Maj Lester Carlson, pilot,
1st Lt Walter Boback, copilot,
Sgt Jeane Garafalo 1.
Passengers:
William Pedrick,
Hilmar G. Manning,
Robert W. Berry Jr.,
Leonard G. De Vilbiss III,
William E. Melancon Jr.,
Harry K. Roberts Jr.,
Guy L. McNeil Jr.,
Nelson S. Byers,
Francis C. Camilli,
Noel S. Perrin,
Alan C. Abrahamson,
William F. Sharp,
Karl F. Glasbrenner Jr.,
Ward B. Keiler,
Kenneth MacArthur,
Ronald E. Rounds,
Hugh R. Wilson,
Herman Archer,
Maurice J. Mastelotto
5 civilians.
Probable cause:
Link to the USAF Accident report:
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/C47rpt.htm

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK in Fukuoka: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1951
Operator:
Registration:
43-49413
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
15229/26674
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff, while climbing at a height of 30 meters, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames onto a hangar. Four passengers were killed while 19 other occupants and eight people on the ground were injured.