Date & Time:
Sep 10, 1943 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-6031
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
6327
YOM:
1942
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
11
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The aircraft left an airbase located in the south of the US for a combined exercise with five other similar aircraft over the Gulf of Mexico. In flight, the top of the rudder of 41-24621 hit the right wing of 42-6031. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the sea and crashed some 50 miles off Galveston, Texas. All 22 occupants in both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Oscar A. Bennett,
Sgt William B. Culp Jr.,
Sgt Charles L. Findley,
2nd Lt Oscar L. Koegel Jr.,
Sgt Reinhold Kubarth,
Cpt Henry A. Lewis,
Sgt William P. Pine,
2nd Lt Alva W. Redding Jr.,
Sgt Richard E. Royer,
Sgt B. J. Smith,
Sgt William W. Volkner.
Crew:
2nd Lt Oscar A. Bennett,
Sgt William B. Culp Jr.,
Sgt Charles L. Findley,
2nd Lt Oscar L. Koegel Jr.,
Sgt Reinhold Kubarth,
Cpt Henry A. Lewis,
Sgt William P. Pine,
2nd Lt Alva W. Redding Jr.,
Sgt Richard E. Royer,
Sgt B. J. Smith,
Sgt William W. Volkner.
Probable cause:
It appears the collision was caused by a wrong judgement on part of both crew involved.
