Date & Time: Nov 1, 1944 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-92700
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Luxeuil – Istres
MSN:
12530
YOM:
1944
Location:
Saint-Chamond
Loire
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
15
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
20
Captain / Total hours on type:
792
Copilot / Total hours on type:
198
Circumstances:
En route to Istres with 15 wounded soldiers on board, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility, fog and severe icing. The aircraft hit the slope of Mt Pilat located some 10 km southeast of Saint-Chamond and was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire. All 20 occupants were killed. The wreckage was found 90 meters from the top of the mountain (1,350 meters high).
Crew (802nd Evac Squadron):
1st Lt Carson Max Roberts, pilot,
2nd Lt William C. Ward, copilot,
Sgt Shirley N. Breckinridge, flight engineer,
Cpl Howard E. Kahler, radio operator,
Aleda Ester Lutz, nurse.
Passengers:
Cpt William A. Steinhurst,
1st Lt Roger M. Philips,
S/Sgt Leonard Vasquez,
Sgt Ronald Takara,
1st Class Ellis F. Gillespie,
1st Class Ciro J. Romono,
2nd Class Edwin Beal,
2nd Class John Ferrata,
2nd Class John B. Young,
Anton Eppenschwantiner,
Bertholdt Hennegriff,
Heinrich Loesch,
Erich Kimmerle,
Max Schmann,
Ottmar Spang.
Source & photo:
http://calm.sopixi.fr/files/crashesc47valleerhonecalm.pdf