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Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar off Ashiya AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
52-5886
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Ashiya - Ashiya
MSN:
11053
YOM:
1952
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Ashiya AFB, the right propeller malfunctioned and control was lost. Five crew members were able to bail out before the airplane crashed in the sea some 33 km north of the airfield. Four crew members were rescued by the crew of a Japanese fishing boat while both pilots and a third occupant were killed, among them Robert Sullivan.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following a right propeller malfunction.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing KC-97G Stratotanker in Windsor: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker
Operator:
Registration:
53-0191
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Refuelling
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
16973
YOM:
1953
Location:
Windsor
Missouri
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While conducting a night refueling mission, the aircraft suffered an engine failure. The captain elected to make an emergency landing but the airplane went out of control and crashed in a field located 3,5 miles northwest of Windsor. Nine crew members were killed while two others were injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Convair B-36B-1-CF Peacemaker at Carswell AFB

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Operator:
Registration:
44-92029
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Biggs - Carswell
MSN:
26
YOM:
1946
Location:
Carswell AFB (Fort Worth)
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful training flight from Biggs AAF, the pilot-in-command started the approach to Carswell AFB but was too low. On short final, the airplane hit the ground, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Too low approach on part of the pilot-in-command.

Crash of a Boeing B-50A-15-BO Superfortress at Holloman AFB

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-50 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
46-028
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Eglin - Holloman
MSN:
15748
YOM:
1947
Location:
Holloman AFB (Alamogordo)
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK in Niigata

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-48091
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
13907/25352
YOM:
1944
Location:
Niigata
Chūbu
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-54G-5-DO Skymaster into the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1955 at 1658 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
45-0569
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lajes – Hamilton
MSN:
36022
YOM:
1945
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a transatlantic flight from Lajes to Hamilton, Bermuda. Enroute, the captain informed ground that he was short of fuel and was unable to reach Hamilton. He reduced his altitude and ditched the airplane near the Echo weather station. A USCG crew was able to evacuate all eight crew members while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-50-DT Invader in Georgetown: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Registration:
44-35793
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Griffiss - Turner
MSN:
29072
YOM:
1944
Location:
Georgetown
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from Griffiss AFB (Rome) to Turner AGB located in Albany. Enroute, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Georgetown, killing all three crew members.

Crash of a Grumman SA-16A Albatross in Jardín: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Grumman HU-16 (SA-16) Albatross
Operator:
Registration:
51-7197
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Albrook - Albrook
MSN:
G-262
YOM:
1953
Location:
Jardín
Antioquia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a SAR mission following the disappearance of a Beechcraft Bonanza and was based at Albrook AFB, Panama. In unknown circumstances, the seaplane crashed in Jardín, Antioquia. Three crew members were killed while three others were injured.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Kaktovik

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1955
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
51-16472
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
169
YOM:
1952
Location:
Kaktovik (Barter Island)
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances at Kaktovik, on Barter Island. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair and the pilot Erwin Charles King was uninjured.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar near Sewart AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
52-5949
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sewart - Sewart
MSN:
11136
YOM:
1952
Location:
Sewart AFB (Smyrna)
Tennessee
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
37
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
During initial climb, an engine failed. All 37 paratroopers and three of the five crew members abandoned the aircraft that went out of control and crashed in a field located five miles northeast of the airfield. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.
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