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Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK near Placitas: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1944 at 1330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-49365
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Wichita – Long Beach – Los Angeles
MSN:
26626/15181
YOM:
1944
Location:
Placitas
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
En route to Long Beach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was instructed to divert to Albuquerque. Shortly later, strong vertical wind and snow falls forced the crew to reduce his altitude in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground. The aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed 5 miles south of Placitas. SAR arrived on site three days later and five men seriously injured were evacuated while all seven other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Alamogordo

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11871
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
367
YOM:
1941
Location:
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 take off. No casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator near Alamogordo

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11844
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
340
YOM:
1941
Location:
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 in unknown circumstances 15 miles northwest of Alamogordo. Crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Alamogordo: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1943 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-24036
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
831
Location:
Alamogordo
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While conducting a night training mission at low altitude, the captain snap the automatic pilot system when the aircraft nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion 3 miles west of Alamogordo. It is understood that a recovery was impossible due to an insufficient distance with the ground. All ten crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Alamogordo

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-2556
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2367
YOM:
1941
Location:
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 take off from Alamogordo Airport, New Mexico. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Lordsburg: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11920
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
416
YOM:
1941
Location:
Lordsburg
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While overflying New Mexico, a fire erupted and forced all ten crew members to bail out. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire. While eight crew members were unhurt, two others were killed as their parachute did not open properly.
Probable cause:
Unknown in flight fire.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Alamogordo

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11849
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
345
YOM:
1941
Location:
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:
On landing at Alamogordo Airport, a gear failed. The aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest on the runway. All occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Landing gear failure.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator near Cimarron: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-1133
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Kirtland - Kansas City
MSN:
73
YOM:
1941
Location:
Cimarron
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew left Kirtland AFB (Albuquerque) on a training mission to Kansas City. En route, while approaching a mountainous area, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with strong winds and turbulence. The heavy bomber went out of control, lost height and crashed on the wooded slope of Trail Peak, in the Philmont National Reserve, some 20 miles southwest of Cimarron. All nine occupants, among them pilot Robert Redding, were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident was not clearly determined but it is suspected that the loss of control was caused by microburst.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo near Albuquerque

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
39-16
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2664
YOM:
1939
Location:
Albuquerque
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, both engines failed simultaneously. The crew abandoned the aircraft and bailed out. Without pilot, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed some 40 km south of Albuquerque. All six crew members were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I near Rodeo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1942 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
W6473
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Demonstration
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Phoenix - Abilene
MSN:
9478
YOM:
1940
Location:
Rodeo
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a series of demo flights in the US. En route from Phoenix to Abilene, the left engine failed and later fell off. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a desert area located between Rodeo and Lordsburg, bursting into flames. A crew was killed and three others were slightly injured. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
S/L N. K. Lloyd, pilot,
F/Lt P. A. Kimpton, navigator, †
Cpl J. R. Berth-Jones, rigger,
AC1 R. West, fitter.
Probable cause:
The crankshaft of the port engine failed in flight, causing severe vibration and fire. The engine later fell off.
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