Crash of a Douglas A-26C-40-DT Invader near Chuncheon: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-35618
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
28897
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed near Chuncheon due to icing. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Cpt Joseph J. Engelbreit, †
Cpt Hugh L. Kienitz, †
A2c Richard F. Kipperer,
1st Lt John F. McFadden.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of a Boeing B-50D-110-BO Superfortress at Andersen AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
49-0283
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Andersen - Andersen
MSN:
16059
YOM:
1949
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after his departure from Andersen AFB, while climbing, the crew informed ground that an engine failed and elected to return for a safe landing. Four minutes later, the heavy bomber crashed in a wooded area located 1,25 mile southwest of the airfield. A crew member was killed while six others were injured, some of them seriously.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-50-DT Invader in North Korea: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-35882
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
29161
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire. After the right engine was hit in flight and caught fire, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed. It appears that two crew members bailed out while two others were killed.
Crew:
A1c Jerome Karpowicz, †
Cpt Raymond W. Quesnell,
1st Lt Clifford G. Selman, †
Cpt John E. Walseth Jr.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar in Weinheim: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1953 at 1655 LT
Operator:
Registration:
51-8241
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Frankfurt - Frankfurt
MSN:
10789
YOM:
1951
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The C-119 was part of a combined exercise with 17 other similar machines that left Frankfurt-Main Airbase in the afternoon. While cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, another C-119 registered 51-8235 was hit by a Republic F-84 Thunderjet registered 51-628. His pilot was also taking part to a combined exercise with 11 other Thunderjet. Following the impact, these two aircraft went into a dive and hit the C-119 registered 51-8241. All three aircraft crashed in a field located in Weinheim. All six crew members on board the C-119 registered 51-8235 were killed while on board the 51-8241, two crew members were killed and four others were rescued. The pilot of the fighter was able to bail out and landed safely.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar in Weinheim: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1953 at 1655 LT
Operator:
Registration:
51-8235
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Frankfurt - Frankfurt
MSN:
10783
YOM:
1951
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The C-119 was part of a combined exercise with 17 other similar machines that left Frankfurt-Main Airbase in the afternoon. While cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the aircraft was hit by a Republic F-84 Thunderjet registered 51-628. His pilot was also taking part to a combined exercise with 11 other Thunderjet. Following the impact, both aircraft went into a dive and hit a second C-119 (registered 51-8241) flying in the same formation and also carrying a crew of six. All three aircraft crashed in a field located in Weinheim. All six crew members on board the C-119 registered 51-8235 were killed while on the second one, two were killed and four were rescued. The pilot of the fighter was able to bail out and landed safely.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Chicago: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1953
Operator:
Registration:
43-15780
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chicago - Chicago
MSN:
20246
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Chicago-O'Hare Airport. On final approach, the airplane went out of control and crashed three miles northwest of the airfield. A crew member was killed while two others were injured.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B-20-DT Invader in North Korea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
43-22449
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
18596
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying along the east coast of North Korea during a night mission, the Invader was shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire and crashed, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
Cpt Kenneth L. Doolittle,
1st Lt Roger C. Hall Sr.,
A2c Gerald Jones.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-60-BN Superfortress into the Peconic Bay: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-62093
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wright-Patterson - Wright-Patterson
MSN:
11570
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
A coupling and fully-towed flight was accomplished using the right-handed EF-84B, but no electrical power was received from the B-29. The right hand fighter uncoupled and the left hand fighter coupled with the B-29 and was retracted in the fully-locked towing position. The cockpit panel light indicated that electrical power was available from the B-29, and as soon as everything was trimmed and stabilized and the automatic flight control system was activated momentarily from the fighter. This resulted in a violent pitching motion of the EF-84B causing it to flip up and inward into the B-29. The B-29 outer wing panel crumpled and struck the main B-29 wing spar, shearing off the F-84 nose section before the two aircraft separated. As Bud Anderson flew in formation on the right side of the Superfortress, John Davis brought the left-hand EF-84D into position and linked wingtips with the EB-29A. He transmitted, "Autopilot coming on" and then switched the autopilot on. It commanded hard nose-up elevator. Davis' Thunderjet rolled rapidly to the right onto the outer wing panel of the Superfortress. As the fighter rotated about the wing tip of the bomber, the explosive bolts fired to jettison the Thunderjet, but not in time to prevent the collision between the planes. The left wing of the EB-29A failed outboard of the engines. The nose of the EF-84D broke away from the rest of the airplane.
B-29 went into steep spiral and crashed into Peconic Bay, Long Island and the F-84 crashed shortly thereafter. John Davis and five crew members aboard the EB-29A were killed in the accident. The other fighter, having unhooked, presumably landed safely. The project 'Tip Tow' was immediately cancelled.
Source:
http://www.air-and-space.com/Wing Tip Coupling B-29 F-84.htm
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-55-DT Invader in North Korea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-35961
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
29240
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Last radio contact at 2230LT on March 31. The twin engine aircraft was shot down during the night by enemy antiaircraft fire and crashed in a paddy field. No trace of the four members was found.
Crew:
Col Sherman R. Beaty,
1st Lt Lloyd P. Bowman,
A1c Charles A. Lambert,
Maj Harold J. Titus.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-45-BN Superfortress in Lajes: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-61747
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lajes - Hunter
MSN:
11224
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Lajes AFB, while in initial climb, the heavy bomber lost height and crashed one mile south of the airfield. Six crew members were killed while nine others were injured, some of them seriously.
Crew:
Maj Hugh S. Abcock Jr., †
Cpt Louis Carl Bowen, †
A1c Jimmie R. Cherry, †
T/Sgt Issac M. Daniel, †
S/Sgt. Wilmer R. Devlin, †
1st Lt Roy Wesley Wallace, †
1st Lt William R. Sundermann,
1st Lt William J. Pederson,
A2c Fred W. Maschner,
A1c Charles M. Caillouett Jr.,
A2c Daniel L. Browder,
1st Lt Thomas W. Minter,
S/Sgt Yulee Mickler,
A2c Arthur L. Turk Jr.,
A2c James F. Locklin.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by an engine failure.