|
|
|
ANTHONY J. MIRELES
|
Titles by historian Anthony J. Mireles
|
|
 |
 |
| |
WARBIRD CRASH
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR OVER 7,100 USAAF AIRCRAFT WERE
INVOLVED IN FATAL ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES, KILLING OVER 15,500 FLIERS.
READ THE TRUE STORY OF THIS APPALLING TOLL IN THE NEW BOOK:
FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES 1941 - 1945
BY ANTHONY J. MIRELES
This three volume work is now available and can be ordered from
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Jefferson, NC, and many on-line bookstores. For prompt service, order directly from the publisher McFarland. Contact the Author at tony@warbirdcrash.com
Anthony J. Mireles
1102 156th Place
Calumet City, IL 60409-4349
The following summaries are supplements to the work listed above; the primary source information was obtained after the manuscript was submitted to the publishers. Stand by for 23 "British Program" RAF fatal accidents in the United States during WWII. Stand by for fatal June 1941 B-26 accident at Baltimore, Maryland; Stand by for another fatal P-38 accident.
|
11-2-42. LAKE ERIE, ONTARIO, CANADA. At 1650, a Consolidated OA-10 (43-3266) attempting a take-off crashed into Lake Erie at Long Point, Mingan, Ontario, Canada, killing five crewmembers. Two crewmembers were injured and two crewmembers escaped injury. The airplane took off from Presque Isle, Maine, on a personnel transport mission to Long Point, Ontario, and return. Investigators stated, "Upon completion of the mission, the plane taxied out from the shore and after warming up the engines started on a normal take-off. During this first attempted take-off, the plane was seen to break clear but each time did not have sufficient speed to fly and settled back on the waves that were running from four to six feet. It is assumed from witnesses accounts that the first attempted take-off resulted in the nose wheel door being sprung as well as the glass that leads from this nose wheel well to the compartment. On the second attempt to take-off, the plane was unable to clear the water and it is believed from witnesses accounts that the entire nose wheel section and part of the hull were caved in by the impact with the waves. When this fact was noticed by the crew, the throttles were cut, which resulted in the plane sinking quite rapidly until the wing and tail remained out of the water." Killed in the crash were: Lt.Col. Harry J. Zimmerman, pilot; Sgt. Charles O. Richardson, engineer; Pvt. Erwin G. Austin, asst. engineer; Pvt. Peter P. Couzine, asst. radio operator; Capt. Carney Lee Dowlen, passenger. Passengers Capt. J.B. Holmberg and radio operator Pvt. James E. Click received minor injuries. Co-pilot SSgt. Bernard R. Peterson and gunner Cpl. Robert L. Ashley escaped injury.
12-7-42. FORT ERIE, ONTARIO, CANADA. At 1412, a Bell P-39N (42-4944) and a Fleet Aircraft Limited Cornell type PT-26 airplane (#10524) collided in mid-air and crashed at Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, killing Bell Aircraft Company Test pilot Norman W. Swenson and Fleet test pilot Rudolph Milani. The P-39N took off at 1403 from Niagara Falls Airport, New York; the PT-26 took off from the Fleet Aircraft Limited Airfield at 1400. The collision occurred at an altitude of approximately 1,600 feet agl. The P-39N overtook and collided with the the PT-26 from the left rear, the P-39N severing the port wing of the PT-26. The P-39N then passed over the cockpit area of the PT-26 and knocked off the trainer's engine. The starboard wing of the P-39 was severed. Both airplanes went out of control and crashed to the ground. The P-39 pilot had not been cleared for flight over Canadian territory.
4-26-43. PIQUA, OHIO. At 0900 CWT,a Bell P-39D (41-6722) spun to the ground and crashed near Piqua, Ohio, killing 2Lt. Frank Prisch. Investigation revealed that the P-39D suffered a runaway propeller prior to the crash. Witnesses observed the airplane flying at about 2,000 feet agl headed northeast in a slight climb of 10 to 15 degrees. The airplane stalled and fell off to the left and entered a flat spin to the left. The P-39D continued in the flat spin until it struck the ground, killing the pilot instantly. The airplane struck the ground with very little forward speed and in a flat attitude. The airplane did not burn but was destroyed utterly.
6-16-43. BURBANK, CALIFORNIA. A Boeing/Lockheed XB-38 (B-17E # 41-2401 outfitted with four 1,425 hp Allison V-1710-89 V-12 engines) suffering an in-flight fire was abandoned and crashed near Burbank, California, killing Lockheed test pilot George MacDonald, who fell to his death in an unsuccessful parachute jump. Lockheed test pilot Bud Martin was seriously injured parachuting to safety; his parachute did not deploy properly. The airplane was on its ninth test flight when the number-three engine caught on fire. The pilots were unable to extinguish the fire, which was beginning to spread onto the starboard wing. The pilots pointed the aircraft toward an uninhabited area and bailed out. The modified B-17E crashed and exploded upon impact.
10-26-43. PHOENIX, ARIZONA. At 1345, a North American AT-6A (41-688) and a Piper J5A (NC-35704) collided in mid-air at Phoenix, Arizona, killing the instructor and student aboard the J5A. The AT-6A was badly damaged in the collision but was able to make a safe landing at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. Civilian instructor Rudolf Schad and AAF Aviation Cadet Milford Dan Birch were killed in the crash of the J5A. Civilian instructor T.C. Galbraith and AAF Aviation Cadet David H. Jarvis were uninjured aboard the AT-6A. The J5A took off at 1240 from Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, on an instrument training flight; the AT-6A took off at 1300 from Falcon Field on an instrument training flight. The AT-6A was flying at 4,000 feet on a course of 300 degrees and the J5A was flying at a slightly higher altitude on a course of 81 degrees. The AT-6A port wing collided with the J5A's port diagonal wing support strut. The J5A's port wing failed and separated, causing the airplane to spin out of control and plunge to the ground. The J5A smashed to the ground at an angle of 60 degrees, killing the occupants instantly. The J5A's port wing was found about 500 feet from where the airplane smashed to the ground. The AT-6A lost 29 inches of the port wing tip and four feet of the port aileron in the collision. The instructor was able to maintain control of the damaged AT-6A and make a safe landing. Both students were under the hood and flying on instruments at the the time of the collision. Investigation revealed that the occupants of the J5A had unfastened their seat belts but were unable to exit the airplane. CAA Report courtesy of Chris Baird, arizonawrecks.com.
CORRECTIONS:
Bristol Beaufighter is the correct aircraft for the summary under heading 3-27-42C Lordsburg, New Mexico.
The correct AAF serial number for the Curtiss P-40E under summary heading 2-5-43C, Dalton, Georgia, is P-40E # 40-421.
The correct AAF serial number for the Boeing B-17F under summary heading 1-16-44I, Gulf of Mexico, Texas, is B-17F # 42-30761.
The index entry 3-8-44F, Deming, New Mexico, refers to the AT-11 (42-37686) crash under summary heading 2-21-44A.
|
1-8-45. MATAMOROS, MEXICO. At approximately 1500 CWT, two Martin B-26C airplanes collided in mid-air and crashed into a lake east of Matamoros, Mexico, about five miles east of Brownsville Army Air Base, Brownsville, Texas, killing nine AAF fliers. Killed in the crash of TB-26C # 41-35829 were: F/O Thomas L. Jones, pilot; F/O Robert A. Johnson, co-pilot; SSgt. Vaughn W. Jones, engineer; SSgt. Robert J. Villareal, student engineer; Pfc. Nathan B. Vaden, crewmember. Killed in the crash of TB-26C # 41-35789 were: F/O Fred M. Knapp, pilot; 2Lt. Phillip L. Skow, co-pilot; Pfc. Harold H. Kolding, engineer; Pfc. Elbert C. Johnson, crewmember. The airplanes had taken off from Laguna Madre Sub Base, Texas, at about 1435 CWT on a target towing mission. The airplanes were scheduled to rendezvous with a pair of Consolidated B-24 bombers for gunnery practice. One B-24 failed to take off from Harlingen Army Air Field, Harlingen, Texas, because of mechanical problems. The remaining B-24 took off from Harlingen Army Air Field and the B-24 pilot contacted B-26C # 41-35789, advising that the B-24 would rendezvous with the B-26 at 15,000 feet over Port Isabel, Texas, after 25 minutes. AAF personnel on the flight line at Brownsville Army Air Base observed one B-26 flying east and the other B-26 flying to the northeast, both at about 5,000 feet agl. There were no witnesses to the actual collision, which is thought to have occurred at approximately 5,000 feet. The B-26 flying to the east burst into flames in the collision, falling straight down and crashing into the lake about one mile into Mexican territory. The B-26 flying to the northeast fell into a "lazy, spinning spiral" and smashed into the same lake about 100 yards from the other B-26, exploding into flames upon impact. Investigators speculated that the B-26 pilots were flying an unauthorized formation when the collision occurred.
1-19-45. LITTLE HORSE THIEF CANYON, CALIFORNIA. At an unknown time, a North American P-51D (AAF serial number unknown) crashed at Little Horse Thief Canyon, near Cajon Pass, California, killing North American Aviation (NAA) Production Test Pilot Thaddeus Terry. Mr. Terry, a former U.S. Marine, joined the NAA staff 15 March 1943. No other information is available. This summary is based on original research by Jim Azelton.
1-23-45. DUTTON, ONTARIO, CANADA. At 1125, a Republic P-47D (44-32881) crashed seven miles northwest of Dutton, Ontario, Canada, killing pilot 2Lt. George H. Love. The P-47D was flying in the number-two position of a three-ship flight that had taken off from Selfridge Field, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, on a rendezvous and escort-training mission. The airplanes climbed into instrument conditions at about 12,000 feet, all three breaking out on top at about 20,000 feet. A few minutes later, the other pilots observed the subject airplane fall out of formation in a descending turn. The airplane disappeared from view moments later, apparently falling into the undercast. The subject airplane was next seen diving straight toward the ground. The subject airplane struck the ground at high speed at a 90-degree angle, exploding violently into flames upon impact. Investigation revealed that the airplane's engine was producing power at the moment of impact. Investigators noted that the number-three pilot had forgotten to bring his oxygen mask on the flight and was using oxygen through the hose. Investigators stated that an A-14 type oxygen mask was found in Lt. Love's locker on base. It was discovered that the mask was issued to Lt. Love on 8-7-44 at his prior station. It was not known if Lt. Love had an oxygen mask while on the subject flight.
6-18-45. NEW HARMONY, INDIANA. At 1330 CWT, a Republic P-47D (45-49397) crashed while attempting an emergency landing three miles southeast of New Harmony, Indiana, killing Republic Aircraft production test pilot Willard H. Moose. The airplane was on a production test flight. The P-47 was observed flying from the northeast at 1,000 feet agl. The engine was heard to backfire and the propeller was observed to be windmilling. The plane made one 360-degree turn to the right. The plane then made a 270-degree turn to the right and was next observed flying at very low altitude from the southwest. The pilot attempted to crash land in a clover field that was about 100 yards long. The pilot observed that an oil storage tank that was previously obscured by trees was in his flight path. The pilot raised the port wing to avoid striking the oil tank. The starboard wing collided with a water reclamation pit. The airplane cartwheeled into the ground, broke up and burst into flames. The P-47 came to rest in an inverted attitude about 100 yards from the initial point of impact. The pilot was hurled from the wreckage as it tumbled along the terrain. The cause of the accident could not be determined.
9-12-45. MUROC, CALIFORNIA. At 0713 PWT, a Northrop XP-79A (352437) crashed six miles south of Muroc, California, killing Northrop test pilot Harry H. Crosby. The airplane was observed flying at 7,000 feet agl. The airplane performed a slow roll and then entered a shallow climb then performed several more slow rolls. The airplane entered a steep climb and then fell off and entered a vertical dive. The pilot escape hatch was observed to fall away at about 2,000 feet agl. The pilot bailed out at about 1,000 feet agl but was struck in the head by part of the airplane. The airplane slammed into the ground and exploded, the pilot hitting the ground a short distance away. Northrop investigators speculated that aileron "snatching" might have caused the aileron to become jammed in the full deflect position, causing the pilot to lose control of the airplane. An autopsy determined that the pilot was killed when his skull was fractured during the bail out attempt.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
No Army Air Forces Form # 14 Aircraft Accident Reports can be found on the microfilm record for the 57 known AAF aviation accidents that occurred on 21 May 1943. A complete index of the AAF aviation accidents that occurred on this date can be found on the AAF Aircraft Accident Index at Craig Fuller's Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research (AAIR) website.
The RAF number for the LB-30 under summary heading 6-2-41B is AL 503.
|
|
|
The author authorizes use of the above summaries as a supplement to the previously published work
"FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES
AVIATION ACCIDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945."
Any other use prohibited.
COPYRIGHT 2006
|
|
|
