Date & Time:
Jun 2, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated LB-30 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
AL503
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
North Island - North Island
MSN:
1
YOM:
1941
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local test flight on this first example to be delivered to the Royal Air Force. After takeoff from North Island-Halsey Field NAS, while climbing to a height of about 500 feet, the airplane nosed up and stalled from the tail, entered a dive and crashed into the bay. Four crew members were killed and a fifth was seriously injured.
Crew:
William Wheatley, pilot, †
Allen T. Austin, pilot, †
Bruce K. Craig, engineer, †
William H. Reiser, †
Lewis M. McCannon, mechanic.
Crew:
William Wheatley, pilot, †
Allen T. Austin, pilot, †
Bruce K. Craig, engineer, †
William H. Reiser, †
Lewis M. McCannon, mechanic.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a malfunction of the elevator system.
