Date & Time:
Jul 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-68801
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Des Moines - Alliance
MSN:
11728
YOM:
1943
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
13
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a flight from Des Moines, Iowa, to the air base of Alliance, Nebraska. En route, it went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a prairie located in Malcolm, northwest of Lincoln. All 13 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Pvt Chester T. Beczynski,
Cpl Edward A. Bloom,
Sgt Robert D. Hager Jr.,
Pfc Joseph T. Jurczyk,
Sgt Frank P. Krejci,
Cpl Arthur R. Markham,
S/Sgt Walker H. McCartney,
Pfc Robert A. McClymonds,
1st Lt James S. Mills,
Pvt George Ralich,
2nd Lt Edgar D. Rogers,
Pfc Sam Ross,
Pfc Howard E. Wiegand.
Crew:
Pvt Chester T. Beczynski,
Cpl Edward A. Bloom,
Sgt Robert D. Hager Jr.,
Pfc Joseph T. Jurczyk,
Sgt Frank P. Krejci,
Cpl Arthur R. Markham,
S/Sgt Walker H. McCartney,
Pfc Robert A. McClymonds,
1st Lt James S. Mills,
Pvt George Ralich,
2nd Lt Edgar D. Rogers,
Pfc Sam Ross,
Pfc Howard E. Wiegand.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined but the assumption that the aircraft may have been hit by lightning while he was flying through a low pressure area is not ruled out.
