Crash of a Consolidated B-24E-25-FO Liberator in Lakeside: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1943 at 1500 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-7183
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wendover - Pocatello
MSN:
207
Location:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
A formation of five Consolidated B-24E Liberator was on its way from Wendover AFB to Pocatello, Idaho. While cruising at an altitude of 11,100 feet, the Liberator registered 42-7183 that was on third position was left behind so its captain increased power to regain its position in the formation. Doing so, the tail of the 42-7183 hit the left wing of 42-7408. On impact, the number one engine of 42-7408 was sheared off and both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion. All 25 occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Saul Becker,
Pvt Lloyd E. Fowler,
2nd Lt Ray W. Gambol,
Cpl Lawrence A. Griffin,
Sgt Clyde Hewitt,
2nd Lt James H. Hutcheson,
2nd Lt Paul J. Kohler,
2nd Lt William D. Lieber,
2nd Lt Lawrence G. McGinnis,
2nd Lt Carroll Edward Meyer,
2nd Lt John H. Moffett,
2nd Lt Richard Settineri.
Probable cause:
According to officials, the pilot of the aircraft registered 42-7183 bears full responsibility for this tragedy because he did not comply with basic rules of discipline during a training flight. However, investigators point out that the massive presence of ice in the region remains a contributing factor to the accident in the sense that aircraft performances were reduced.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Ogden-Hill AFB

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
43-5193
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
184
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-33 in Ogden-Hill AFB

Date & Time: May 8, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
36-85
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ogden - Ogden
MSN:
1518
YOM:
1936
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the take off run, the undercarriage were retracted prematurely. The aircraft sunk on the runway surface and slid for several yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Enterprise: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-32799
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
9025
YOM:
1943
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in bad weather ten miles south of Enterprise, maybe in the Flat Top mountain range. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Charles R. Butterwick 1.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-191 near Fairfield: 17 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1942 at 0122 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC16060
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Salt Lake City – Las Vegas – Burbank
MSN:
1900
YOM:
1936
Flight number:
WA013
Location:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Captain / Total flying hours:
2885
Captain / Total hours on type:
533.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
596
Copilot / Total hours on type:
126
Aircraft flight hours:
14773
Circumstances:
While cruising at the assigned altitude of 10,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located near Fairfield, Utah. The rescuers arrived on the scene around 1125LT and were able to evacuate two passengers seriously injured while 17 other occupants were killed. It appears that the aircraft reached a wrong attitude and lost part of its wings and stabilizer prior to be out of control.
Crew:
Edward John Loeffler, pilot,
James Clifton Lee, copilot,
Douglas Mortimer Soule, copilot,
Cleo Lorraine Booth, stewardess.
Probable cause:
On the basis of all of the facts, conditions and circumstances known to the Board at this time, it is concluded that failure of the left, or possibly both wing tips, and of the horizontal tail surfaces occurred in the air during a severe pull-up. However, no definite conclusion can be drawn from the evidence as to whether the pull-up was caused by operation of the controls by the crew, or by some other forces beyond their control. Due to the lack of any plausible theory for the latter, it seems more probable that the maneuver was initiated by the crew, possibly in an attempt to avoid collision with a bird, another aircraft, or some object which they saw or thought they saw.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left, or possibly both wing tips and of the horizontal tail surfaces as a result of a sever pull-up which caused unusual and abnormally high air loads. The reason the pull-up maneuver was not determined.
Final Report:

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

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2546
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2357
YOM:
1941
Location:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, an engine exploded and the crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field. All six occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Wendover AFB

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-11695
Flight Type:
MSN:
191
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances at Wendover AFB. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas DST-A-207A in Salt Lake City: 17 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1942 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC18146
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
San Francisco – Oakland – Salt Lake City – New York
MSN:
1978
YOM:
25
Flight number:
UA004
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Captain / Total flying hours:
7015
Captain / Total hours on type:
3236.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
838
Copilot / Total hours on type:
838
Circumstances:
On approach to Salt Lake City Airport at night and in poor weather conditions, pilots did not realise they were flying too low. Aircraft hit a mountain slope few km short of runway and was destroyed by impact forces. All 17 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Navigational error on part of the crew for unknow reasons. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was deviated from its initial track. Civil Aeronautic Board was not able to establish the exact cause of the track deviation. Upon the basis of the foregoing findings and of the entire record available at this time, CAB find that the probable cause of the accident was a deviation from the proper course, for reasons undetermined, after the trip had become off contact within ten miles of the airport.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-33 in Ogden-Hill AFB

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
36-80
Flight Type:
MSN:
1513
YOM:
1936
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-33 at Ogden-Hill AFB

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
36-82
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1515
YOM:
1936
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed for unknown reasons while taking off from Ogden-Hill AFB. There were no casualties.
Crew:
Charles W. Himes.