City

While overflying Wigston in very poor weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control and spiraled into the ground. During the descent, the aircraft disintegrated in the air and crashed in the city of Wigston. Debris were found on a large area and several houses were damaged. While there were no casualties on the ground, all six crew members were killed.
Crew (300th Squadron):
W/Cdr R. Sulinski, pilot,
F/O W. Jedrzejczyk, navigator,
F/O C. Sulgut, air gunner,
W/O W. Brzezinski, wireless operator,
W/O M. Szwandt, air bomber,
F/Sgt F. Mikula, flight engineer.

The aircraft left Tinian AFB, North Mariana Islands, at 1520LT bound for Kiangwan AFB in Shanghai. On approach, the crew encountered technical problems with the controls and several attempts to land were aborted. Eventually, ground control instructed the crew to fly to the north and to abandon the aircraft but while cruising at 5,000 feet, the Commando went out of control and crashed near Luojingzhen, on the shore of the Yangtze River, about 20 km north of the airbase. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Robert L. Austen,
Sgt Irwin C. Bruser,
Sgt Jessey F. Campbell,
Sgt John H. Eckert,
Sgt Jarvis D. Maddux,
Sgt Peter Naberenzy,
S/Sgt Robert M. Rogers,
T/Sgt Delbert D. Shoeman,
1st Lt Robert E. Tambert,
S/Sgt La Dessie W. Tarver,
Sgt Abraham Yablonsky.

On final approach to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, the crew was unable to locate the airfield due to low visibility caused by night and foggy conditions. While flying at a too low altitude, the three engine aircraft hit with a wing the top of a church located in Le Bouscat and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed. There were no casualties on the ground.
Crew:
Jean Perrin, pilot,
Hippolyte Le Coroller, radio navigator,
René Morin, flight engineer.

The aircraft left Shanghai at 0720LT bound for Hong Kong. At 0840LT, the radio operator contacted Nanking ground control when communication was cut. The aircraft crashed on several houses in a village located about 20 km northeast of Suichang, in the province of Zhejiang. All 13 occupants, among them staff of the Aviation Inspection Institute, were killed. In the village, few houses were destroyed and seven people were killed while four others were injured.
Crew:
Cpt Frank L. Higgs, pilot,
Tang Ji, copilot,
Weng XiJun, radio operator,
Zhou Yuan, flight engineer,
Zhao KeFei,
Yang Qida.

The crew departed Bedford on a routine flight to New York-La Guardia Airport. While approaching New York, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to fog. Despite the fact that the crew was advised by ATC to modify his route, the captain continued over New York at a too low altitude when the aircraft hit the 79th Floor of the Empire State Building. A fire erupted and the aircraft disintegrated in the building, killing all three crew members and 11 people in the building. 25 other people were injured and lots of debris fell onto the 34th Street. The aircraft was christened 'Old John Feather Merchant'.

The aircraft was parked at Ørland Airport and was stolen that day by three drunk German soldiers who want to fly to Sweden. Enroute, the three engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances onto a house located in Saltnessand, about a mile south of Buvika. All three crew members were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The s/n is not confirmed at 7U OK (s/n 6816) already crashed on October 21, 1944.
Sources: http://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/buvika.html

While conducting a training flight a low height, the twin engine aircraft hit power cables and crashed in Santo Amaro, in the suburb of Sao Paulo. Both pilots were killed.

The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over an oil refinery located in Lützkendorf. Enroute, while approaching Eisenberg, the B-17 registered 43-39149 collided with a second USAAF B-17 registered 42-31060 and also carrying a crew of 9. The first B-17 went out of control, dove into the ground and crash in the city of Eisenberg. Eight crew members were killed and ten people on the ground as well. Only one crew member survived. The second B-17 flew to the east over 400 km and then crashed in a field in Jaraczewo, Poland. Five crew were killed and four others were injured.
Crew of 43-39149:
2nd Lt Robert J. Barrat, pilot, †
F/O Shirl P. Best, navigator, †
2nd Lt Dean Harvey, copilot, †
S/Sgt William T. Karp, †
S/Sgt Matthew Lazarowicz, radio operator, †
Sgt Louis N. Linhart, air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert D. Link, air gunner, †
Sgt George H. Emerson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Raymond F. Reiss, flight engineer. †

Crew of 42-31060:
Sgt Marion L. Canfield, air gunner, †
Sgt Floyd C. Doherty Jr., air gunner, †
F/O Odus C. Litzelfelner, copilot, †
1st Lt Alfred K. Nemer, pilot, †
Sgt Peter M. Volpini, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Harry H. Schultz, navigator,
T/Sgt Howard H. Ganson,
Sgt Floyd S. Bohrer, air gunner,
Sgt Paul L. Kerr, air gunner.

The crew was performing a night training exercise when approaching Lyons, an engine failed, forcing the captain to divert to Lyons-Bron Airport to attempt an emergency landing. Due to low visibility, the crew completed several circuits over Lyons when the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in the district of Terraillon, near Bron. A crew member was injured while eight others were killed.
Crew (857th Squadron):
Sgt Mose C. Boren Jr., air gunner,
2nd Lt Merrill Burt, copilot,
2nd Lt Charles H. Edwards, pilot,
F/O Edwin London, bomber,
Sgt James D. Matthews, flight engineer,
Sgt James O. Melotte, radio operator,
2nd Lt Gerard L. Roy, navigator,
Sgt John L. Strickey, air gunner,
Sgt Russell G. Wolfersberger Jr, air gunner.

Shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the suburn of Arnhem. Five occupants were killed.