United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft suffered a fuel exhaustion and the crew was forced to make an emergency landing on Ellesmere Island, about 511 km northwest of Resolute Bay, Nunavut. All seven crew members were rescued while the aircraft was abandoned on site.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando in Naha: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

44-77335

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

32731

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Naha Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed. Six passengers were killed while 16 other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-5-DO Skymaster in Heroldishausen: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1949 at 1659 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

44-9086

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wiesbaden – Berlin

MSN:

27312

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

En route from Wiesbaden-Erbenheim to Berlin-Tempelhof, taking part to the Berlin Airlift, an engine caught fire. The captain ordered his crew and both passengers to bail out. After these four people evacuated the cabin, he reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing in a field. Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed in flames in a field located in Heroldishausen, northwest of Bad Langensalza. The aircraft was destroyed and the captain was killed. The four other occupants were uninjured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that an hydraulic line failed in flight, causing the fluid to flow into the engine and to catch fire while contacting high temperature parts of the engine.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-90-BW Superfortress near Clark AFB: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-29 Superfortress

Operator:

Registration:

45-21705

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Refuelling

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Clark - Clark

MSN:

13599

YOM:

1945

Location:

Clark AFB (Angeles City)

Pampanga

Country:

Philippines

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The crew was returning to his base in Clark AFB after taking part to a refueling mission of the B-50 christened Lucky Lady II and registered 46-010 and engaged in a world tour. On the return trip, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when control was lost. The aircraft crashed 58 miles from Clark AFB and was destroyed. All nine crew members were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A-25-FA Packet in Pará

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-82 Packet

Operator:

Registration:

44-23035

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

10079

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was eventually forced to abandon the aircraft following a fuel starvation. All occupants bailed out and were rescued while the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in an isolated area located in the State of Pará.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DL Skytrain near El Bonito: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-16256

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

El paso – San Antonio

MSN:

20722

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and a reduced visibility due to fog. The aircraft went off track and hit a mountain located near El Bonito, about 75 miles southwest of Del Rio. All nine occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-50-DK Skytrain near La Poma: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

45-1138

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Panama City – Buenos Aires

MSN:

17141/34408

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a diplomatic flight from Panama City to Buenos Aires, carrying a crew of three and five passengers, among them Colonel Gerald Evan Williams, attaché at the Embassy of the United States in Buenos Aires, and his wife. While cruising at an altitude of 4,000 meters, the aircraft hit the ground and disintegrated in a rocky and desert area located about 20 km west of La Poma. The wreckage was found few hours later and all eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-5-DO Skymaster in Celle AFB

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

44-9062

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Berlin – Celle

MSN:

27288

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Celle AFB, while on a cargo flight from Berlin, the aircraft suffered an engine failure, stalled and crashed in flames. All three crew members were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed. It was taking part to the Berlin Airlift.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-80-DL Flying Fortress in Offutt AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

44-83494

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

32135

Location:

Offutt AFB (Bellevue)

Nebraska

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crashed on final approach to Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Four crew members were rescued while seven others were killed.

Crash of a North American B-25J-25-NC Mitchell into the Lake Pontchartrain: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1949

Type of aircraft:

North American B-25 Mitchell

Operator:

Registration:

44-30740

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Keesler - Keesler

MSN:

108-32550

Location:

New Orleans

Louisiana

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While on a night training flight from Keesler AFB, Mississippi, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the Lake Pontchartrain, about five miles northeast of New Orleans. All eight crew members were killed.