Washington

While flying by night, the four engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a hilly terrain located near the Mt Saint Helens, about 30 miles east of Kelso. All six crew members were killed.

The crew was returning to his base in McChord following a training sortie above the Pacific Ocean. En route, the pilot informed ATC that he was encountering engine problems when he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a wooded area located on a hill some 5 miles northwest of McCleary. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three crew members were killed.

The crew was conducting a training sortie from Spokane. En route, an engine failed, forcing the crew to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. Out of control, the heavy bomber crashed in a uninhabited area located 4 miles north of Wellpinit. The copilot was killed while 13 other occupants were evacuated safely.

The aircraft was chartered to carry 28 US military staff to Chicago. The crew taxied the aircraft to the south end of runway 31, where they parked for a period of 13 minutes to accomplish the before takeoff check list. The engines and other components of the aircraft appeared to operate normally, so at 2058, after receiving clearance from the tower, takeoff was started. Fuel selector valves for both engines had been positioned to the front tanks which contained 91 octane gasoline. Wind was from the northeast at six miles per hour, and visibility was eight miles, under a ceiling of 8,500 feet. Power was advanced to 45 inches of manifold pressure and to 2,700 RPM’s for takeoff. The aircraft rolled approximately 3,500 feet down the runway, then became airborne at an air speed of 105 miles per hour. During the takeoff run one of the engines was heard to sputter and backfire, and an unusual amount of torching or exhaust flame was observed coming from both of the engines. Because the left engine did not seem to be developing full power, Captain Edgerton, at an altitude of about 20 feet, retarded the throttles, and the aircraft settled back to the runway. Runway 31 at Boeing Field is 7,500 feet long. At the time of the accident, the green threshold lights at the north end of the runway had been moved in 1,700 feet for runway had been moved in 1,700 feet for runway repair purposes, in effect reducing the length of the runway to 5,800 feet. However, this north portion of the runway was usable for takeoff. Captain Edgerton after touching down on the runway, approximately 4,500 feet from the start of the takeoff and 1,300 feet from the green threshold lights, did not believe that he had sufficient runway remaining to accomplish a safe stop, so he advanced the throttles to the limit of 52 inches. Both engines responded, but the left continued to misfire. After a momentary ground roll the aircraft again became airborne at an air speed of 105 miles per hour. The landing gear was retracted, air speed increased slowly to approximately 110 miles per hour, and the flight passed over the north end of the runway at about 50 feet above the ground in a nose high attitude. Sufficient altitude could not be obtained to fly over power lines and poles to the north of the airport, and 1,500 feet north of runway 31 the aircraft struck a 56-foot pole two feet below its top. The impact tore away six feet of the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. A second pole, 1,480 feet from the first, was struck, then a third pole 200 feet from the second. As a result of striking these poles air speed and altitude were lost, and 200 feet from the third pole the aircraft crashed into a three-story frame house. The aircraft carried away the entire top story of this structure, then it plunged into and demolished a single-story brick dwelling. The aircraft came to rest on the foundation of the brick dwelling in an upright position. Many high tension lines, carrying up to 26,000 volts, had been severed. As a result, there was considerable electrical arcing which started several scattered fires in the vicinity of the accident. Fire was started in the area of the aircraft’s fuel tanks immediately after the aircraft had come to a full stop. The tail section aft of the main cabin door and the nose section forward of the flight deck were separated from the cabin portion of the fuselage. Passengers and crew were evacuated through these open ends of the cabin before fire progressed into the fuselage. Two passengers, Pvt Laurence Furio and Cpl Frank Catioca were killed as well as five people in the houses: Pete Chumos, Frank Morgan, Ralph Parker, Olavi Niemi and Ed Brightcamp.

While being ferried across Lake Washington from Naval Air Station, Seattle to the Boeing seaplane ramp at Renton, Washington, where it was intended to be placed in storage. During a power taxi to the Boeing ramp, rapidly changing wind conditions contributed to a collision between the boat and an underwater obstruction, causing it to capsize and sink. While the crew escaped uninjured, the aircraft sank by 71 feet deep.

The crew was performing a flight from Maxwell AFB (Alabama) to McChord AFB in Washington with an intermediate stop in Ogden-Hill AFB, Utah. The aircraft left Ogden-Hill AFB at 1934LT. At 2244LT, the crew informed ATC he was starting the descent to McChord when the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 4 miles southwest of Mineral. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

A group of Yale University students returning to school following their Christmas vacation arranged with William F. Leland, sole owner and operator of Seattle Air Charter, to transport them front Seattle to New Haven, Connecticut, January 2, 1949. Departure was delayed because a full crew was not available at 1800 as had been originally planned. At approximately 2100 a crew was organized, consisting of G. W. Chavers, pilot; K.A. Love, copilot; and W. F. Leland, third crew member. The flight taxied to Runway 13 for takeoff at 2138 and held because ground fog conditions restricted the visibility below the one mile minimum required for takeoff. The flight maintained radio contact with the control tower which advised the pilots of the existing weather conditions on the field. When the flight had taxied from the parking ramp, the tower reported, “Boeing Field weather is clear, visibility, 1/2 variable to 1/4 mile in all quadrants.” The flight asked if they could take off. The tower replied: “Roger. We will let you out as far as traffic is concerned. You are cleared into position to holds.” A few minutes later, at 2145, the flight requested their weather minimums for takeoff and were told that they were ceiling 300 feet, and visibility one mile. To this, the flight responded, “If we take off we will be in violation, won’t we?” The tower answered, “Yes.” Shortly after this conversation, the tower again reported the visibility which was at that time restricted to 1/8 mile. After a period of 10 minutes during which time the flight continued to hold at the end of the runway, the tower remarked: “It appears we are getting a little break. Cleared into position and hold. We will have a clearance for you shortly.” Immediately following, the flight’s air route traffic control clearance was transmitted. Then, at 2201, the crew stated that they could see the four green range lights at the end of the runway, and that they were going to take off. These lights are located 5,700 feet from the approach end of runway 13, which is 7,500 feet in length. At 2204 the tower stated, “Cleared for take off report on top.” At this time the weather as reported by the Weather Bureau was ceiling unlimited, thin obscurement, visibility one fourth of a mile, restricted by fog. The airplane began its take off to the south, and for approximately 1,000 feet it appeared normal to observers who could see the navigation lights of the airplane. It then began to swerve to the left, becoming airborne approximately 1,800 feet down the runway on a heading 35 degrees to the left of the runway. Shortly after leaving the runway, the left wing dropped and the tip dragged on the ground for a distance of 117 feet. The aircraft remained airborne for approximately 750 feet after leaving the runway, and then made contact with the ground in a landing attitude, tail wheel first. Upon contact with the ground, power to the engines was “cut”. The aircraft rolled or skidded the remaining distance, approximately 700 feet, into a revetment hangar, immediately after which it was enveloped in flames. Fourteen occupants, among them all three crew members, were killed while 16 others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

As the tower watched the airplane’s navigation lights, they realized that a crash was imminent and called the Boeing Field Fire Department which was located 1,300 feet south of the control tower, and 200 feet south of the revetment hangar into which the airplane crashed. The fire captain on duty heard the crash. He and 2 firemen, which comprised the duty crew that night, responded immediately, departing for the scene of the crash with all available equipment. This comprised a crash wagon and 2 pump trucks. The equipment arrived within a minute after the crash.

The crew was performing a training sortie at Whidbey Island NAS when an engine caught fire in flight. The pilot decided to return but was eventually forced to make an emergency landing in a field. The aircraft belly landed and came to rest in flames. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crashed in unknown circumstances on Mt Baird located in the Cowlitz county, Washington. All three crew members were killed.

The crew left Travis AFB for a night flight to Hillsboro, in the suburb of Portland, Oregon. During the approach to Hillsboro, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and missed the airport. While flying in dark conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Davis located about 11 miles northeast of Woodland. Two passengers were seriously injured while eight other occupants were killed.