Date & Time:
Jan 26, 1945 at 1506 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-38636
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Maxton – Birmingham – Lubbock
MSN:
4739
YOM:
1942
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left Maxton AAF to Lubbock, Texas, with an intermediate stop in Birmingham, towing to Waco CG-4A gliders. On approach to Birmingham, the crew was vectored to the NE-SW runway but for unknown reason, the captain decided to land on the north-south runway. After both gliders landed without problems, the crew of the C-47 started to take off when shortly after rotation, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
T/Sgt E. M. Bechtold,
1st Lt Fred T. Heise,
2nd Lt John N. Ricker,
Avc Lawrence W. Schloss.
Crew:
T/Sgt E. M. Bechtold,
1st Lt Fred T. Heise,
2nd Lt John N. Ricker,
Avc Lawrence W. Schloss.
