South Carolina

Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height between 1,000 and 2,000 feet, the aircraft became unstable, lost height and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located two miles from the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 39 occupants were killed.

An in flight fire forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a field located in Hartsville, slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. All four crew members escaped without injuries while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

The crew was performing a local training flight in Greenville-Donaldson Airport. In flight, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and the captain elected to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed in flames in a field located three miles south of the airport. The aircraft was partially destroyed by fire and four crew members were killed as three others were injured.

After refueling to 600 gallons of gasoline, the flight departed at 0553 on an instrument flight plan to Miami, via Airway Amber 7, at an altitude of 2,000 feet. The crew reported over the Florence, South Carolina, range station at 0643 at an altitude of 2,000 feet. At 0716 they reported over Charleston, South Carolina, at an altitude of 2,000 feet, and estimated their arrival over Savannah at 0744. This was the last communication received from the flight. Between Charleston and Savannah, Co-pilot Eick left the cockpit to obtain navigational charts, during which time he heard one or both of the engines run roughly. By the time he returned to his seat, however, both engines were again operating normally. A few minutes later both engines stopped, and the fuel pressure gauges were observed to be at zero. The wobble pump was used, different positions of the fuel tank selector valves were tried, the cross-feed valves were turned to the “on” position, but no fuel pressure could be obtained. When it became apparent that the engines could not be restarted, Captain Antonioli informed the co-pilot that it would be necessary to make a forced landing in a nearby marsh, and instructed him to see that the passengers were secured by safety belts. Co-pilot Eick proceeded immediately to the cabin where he buckled the safety belts of 4 or 5 passengers. Then he felt the airplane turning steeply, and he attempted to return to the cockpit. By the time he reached the radio compartment passageway between the passenger cabin and the cockpit he was forced to the floor by centrifugal force. The aircraft shuddered as though in a stall, and crashed. Witnesses on a nearby barge saw the aircraft approaching from a north-westerly direction at an altitude estimated to be 1,000 feet, descending without audible engine noise. It was observed to enter a gliding turn to the left which was continued for about one and one-half revolutions, until the airplane crashed into a marsh and burst into flames. A pilot and 17 passengers were killed.

Crashed in a pasture located 7 miles southeast of Kershaw while conducting a training sortie. All three crewmen were killed.

On final approach to Charleston Airport, the crew was informed by ATC that he was misaligned. At this time, the aircraft was on the left of the glide and at an insufficient altitude. Shortly later, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 1,266 yards short of runway threshold. Both crew members were killed.

On approach to Charleston Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was forced to make a go around. Few minutes later, the captain tried an approach to another runway but did not realized that his altitude was too low. The aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located about 3 miles short of runway. All five occupants were killed. It was reported by a local police officer that an unidentified control tower operator had given the pilot permission to land shortly before the plane crashed. The plane was en route from Newark to Miami to pick up cargo, and was carrying an extra pilot and two stewardesses as "dead-heads."
Crew:
Amos Austin, pilot,
James McNeal, pilot,
Elmer Kortman, copilot,
Olga Badman, stewardess,
Doris Wynn, stewardess.

Flight 42 departed Miami for New York City at 2122LT, September 6, 1945, with routine stops at Jacksonville and Savannah. Having obtained an instrument clearance from Airway Traffic Control to cruise at 5,000 feet to Raleigh, the flight departed Savannah at 0041, September 7, with Washington and Baltimore listed as alternates. At 0150 the flight transmitted a position report to the company station at Washington indicating that it had passed over Florence at 0144 at 5,000 feet. The flight was advised that Raleigh, its next scheduled stop, was reporting a 300 foot overcast. Since the weather at Raleigh was below authorized minimums, Flight 42 requested permission from the company dispatcher to proceed past Raleigh without landing. The station at Washington advised the flight at 0155 that it had been re-cleared to Washington with Baltimore as an alternate, but no acknowledgement of the message was received. At 0205, a radio transmission from Flight 42 was intercepted in which it was indicated that the pilot intended to return to Florence and that he desired clearance to lend at Florence Field. Because of the unusually severe radio interference, the entire message was not readable and no reason was apparent at that time for the pilot's decision to return to Florence. Several subsequent attempts by company, CAA and army stations in the vicinity to contact the flight were unsuccessful. While attempting to return to Florence the aircraft crashed at 0213 in a swampy, wooded area 6 miles ENE of Florence Army Air Filed. The wreckage was located at approximately 1040, September 7.

On approach to Charleston Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed short of runway and came to rest. While all three occupants were injured, the aircraft was written off.
Crew:
Lt Zorilla,
Lt Henderson.
Passenger:
Maj Rivero.

While cruising at an altitude of 3,100 feet, the DC-3 collided with a USAAF Douglas A-26C-35-DT Invader. Registered 44-35553, it was performing a training sortie from Florence with a crew of two on board. Following the collision, the Invader went out of control and crashed in a field located near Darlington, some 12 miles northwest of Florence. Both crew members were killed. On his side, the crew of the DC-3 was able to make an emergency landing and one passenger was killed.