Date & Time:
Feb 11, 1945 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-16394
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Paris-Le Bourget - Tangmere
MSN:
20860
YOM:
1944
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total hours on type:
79
Circumstances:
While flying at a too low altitude in poor weather conditions (rain and low clouds), the aircraft hit the slope of a hill located 5 miles northeast of RAF Tangmere. All seven occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was fixed to 100 yards.
Crew (27th Air Transport Group):
1st Richard Lee Pogue, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert G. Robinson, copilot,
Cpl Jerome T. Smith, radio operator,
S/Sgt Victor C. Corson, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert S. Norris, flight engineer.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Craig C. Moore,
Sgt Carl G. Clayton.
Crew (27th Air Transport Group):
1st Richard Lee Pogue, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert G. Robinson, copilot,
Cpl Jerome T. Smith, radio operator,
S/Sgt Victor C. Corson, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert S. Norris, flight engineer.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Craig C. Moore,
Sgt Carl G. Clayton.
Probable cause:
The investigation shows that the aircraft was too low while under instrument conditions to clear the hills in the area. It is believed that the pilot had let down over The Channel to a few hundred feet but did not break out and did not know that he crossed the southern coast of England.
Final Report:
43-16394.pdf991.25 KB
