Military

Operator:

Registration:

43-49791

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

15607/27052

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

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Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
F/Sgt Frank F. Giordano,
Sgt Robert P. Marin,
1st Lt Leon I. McCaskill.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Villieu-Loyes-Mollon

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

42-93159

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

13040

YOM:

1944

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Enroute, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with fog and lost his orientation. Later, both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion and the captain decided to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Mangaldan: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-15231

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

19697

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Crashed in a mountain in the region of Mangaldan, killing all eight crew members.
Crew:
T/Sgt William H. Burns,
Cpl Sam P. Davis,
S/Sgt Morgan De Foor Jr.,
F/Sgt Harold R. Johnson,
Pfc Marcello J. Lofaro,
2nd Lt Guy E. Matthews Jr.,
1st Lt William F. Stevenson,
Cpt Albert R. Tideswell.

Ground explosion of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK in Pitu: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1945 at 0900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A65-107

Flight Phase:

Parking

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

16554/33302

YOM:

1945

Location:

Pitu (Morotai Island)

North Maluku

Country:

Indonesia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Six technicians were attempting to start engines after a 60 hourly maintenance. The aircraft was not refueled after arriving some 36 hours previously on a flight to collect supplies. It had been standing out in the open in heat for some 16 hours with a possible built up of fuel fumes from leaky tanks or lines. The aircraft suffered an explosion from an electrical short, within the fuselage, causing a fire that consumed the aircraft. All six crew were injured and one of them died from his injuries few hours later. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
Cpl S. M. Williams,
LAC W. J. Wythes,
C. H. Cruickshank,
S. B. Wetzler,
McLoughlin,
Brown.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/

Probable cause:

Electrical short-circuit and fuel fumes caused an explosion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL into the Pacific Ocean: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-15423

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tachikawa – Kadena

MSN:

19889

YOM:

1944

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The aircraft left Tachikawa AFB in Tokyo at 1212LT on a ferry flight to Kadena AFB, Okinawa. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended one week later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew:
Cpl Wesley L. Connett Jr.,
1st Lt Floyd G. Levy,
Cpl Harry L. Proctor,
F/Lt Samuel J. Valerio.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-105-BO Flying Fortress in Saint-André-la-Côte: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1945 at 1815 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-39236

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

10214

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The crew was performing a flight from England to Lyon-Bron Airfield. While approaching Lyon from the west, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility due to the night. Suddenly, the four engine aircraft christened 'Blinkin Betsy' stalled and crashed in a field located in Saint-André-la-Côte. All three passengers and two crewmen were killed, three others were seriously injured.
Crew:
Lewis R. Ahner Jr., pilot,
Weldon C. Bragg, copilot,
Frederick C. Milne, flight engineer,
Desire L. Massicotte, navigator, †
Alexander W. Andrews, radio operator. †
Passengers:
John Anthony Blagg, †
John P. Tarro, †
Norman D. DeClarke. †

Probable cause:

It is believed that the loss of control was caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on all surfaces of the aircraft, creating a loss of lift and causing the aircraft to stall. Indeed, severe frost risks had been reported in the area before the accident.

Ground accident of an Avro 685 York in Negombo

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

MW111

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Western Province (மேல் மாகாணம்)

MSN:

MW111

YOM:

1944

Location:

Negombo

Country:

Sri Lanka

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While taxiing for takeoff, an undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft sank on the ground and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage collapsed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-45-DK in Billings: 19 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1945 at 0113 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

45-0922

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Minneapolis – Fargo – Billings

MSN:

16925/34183

YOM:

1945

Location:

Billings-Logan

Montana

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Fargo to Billings with 21 veterans on board. In flight, the weather conditions at destination worsened and visibility dropped from 10 miles to half a mile due to heavy snow storm. On final approach to Billings Airport, the aircraft was too low, hit a tree and crashed in flames in a snow covered field, 400 meters short of runway threshold. Both pilots and 17 passengers were killed, four others were seriously injured. Those killed were:
Crew:
Cpt George D. Miller, pilot,
Cpt Vernon Pfannkuch, pilot.
Maj Ray Craft,
S/Sgt Thomas Thomsen,
T/Sgt Glenn Marr,
Sgt Don Haley,
Tec Virgil Kinne,
Tec Warren Parrish,
Lt Anthony Alnsky,
Pfc Clayton Thompson,
Tec Fred Chapman,
Pfc Maceo Hobbs,
Pfc Walter Orchard,
Tec John Marshall,
Sgt Charles Ennen,
Cpl Lorrell Cassell,
Tec Ned Neasham,
Pfc David Gillett,
Tec Adolph Tokie.
Those who survived were:
Tec Emil A. Hasch,
Pfc Raymond Parkins,
Cpl Milford Barnes,
Tec Raymond Emerson.

Probable cause:

According to the Air Force Historical Research Agency, it appears that the pilot descended too rapidly during the last turn to the left and failed to allow for the possibility of a downdraft. At any rate, (the) pilot wound up below the level of the field, still in a turning attitude, (then the) aircraft struck a tree, crashed and burned.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Valempoulières: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type: