Crash of a Boeing B-29-90-BW Superfortress in Naha

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-21725
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
13619
YOM:
1945
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed in bad weather. A crew member was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
T/Sgt James H. Ammons,
Cpt F. N. U. Aurigemma,
2nd Lt Paul E. Carter,
S/Sgt Robert P. Creamer,
Cpt Peter Dempsey,
Cpl Harry A. Grainger,
S/Sgt Richard E. Hood,
1st Lt Paul J. James Jr.,
1st Lt Wager J. Krarup,
T/Sgt Roy R. Reed,
S/Sgt Malcolm R. Willson.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-30-MO Superfortress in Kadena AFB

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-65369
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
One of the main landing gear failed on touchdown. The aircraft went out of control and came to rest in flames. All 14 crew members were rescued and some of them were injured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
1st Lt Henry Anderson,
1st Lt Charles Banchiera,
Cpl Edward F. Clements,
Cpt Jack W. Frost,
Sgt Floyd T. Hobbs Jr.,
M/Sgt Owen M. King,
1st Lt Paul D. Lehman,
1st Lt Francis J. Liberatore,
1st Charles W. Matt,
1st Lt Pieere E. Nys,
S/Sgt John L. O'Flynn,
Cpt Stanley Prawdzik,
Cpl Thomas H. Protiva Jr.,
Sgt John B. Tutt.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failure on landing.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-35-BN Superfortress near Desert Center

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-61529
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
March - March
MSN:
11006
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While performing a routine training flight from March AFB, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and all 14 occupants were forced to abandon the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a desert area located 20 miles northeast of Desert Center. There were no injuries but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-97-BW Superfortress into the East China Sea: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-21749
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
13643
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The aircraft was apparently attacked by the pilot of a MiG-15 fighter over the Korean War front. With two engines inoperative, the pilot evacuated the combat area to return to Kadena AFB, Okinawa. While overflying the East China Sea, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea. No trace of the airplane nor the 12 crew members was ever found.
Crew:
Cpl Leland L. Buttler,
Cpl Robert P. Domaleski,
1st Lt Charles W. Harris,
Cpl Keith J. Harview,
Sgt Theodore J. Hoffman,
1st Lt Ray F. Jardine,
Col Payne Jennings Jr.,
Cpl Deloraine M. Kingsbury,
2nd Lt Kenneth L. Nosk,
S/Sgt Thomas W. Ritter,
1st Lt Leonard P. Vogt,
S/Sgt Merle E. White.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure after being shot down by an enemy fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-75-BN Superfortress in Zamora

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-62319
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
11796
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While performing a training flight, the aircraft suffered an engine failure and fire. All crew members bailed out and were rescued while the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located 2,5 miles east of Zamora.
Probable cause:
Engine failure and fire.

Crash of a Boeing KB-29P-45-BA Superfortress in Parsons: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-83944
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet, the aircraft became uncontrollable. All crew members were able to bail out but one of them drowned on landing. The aircraft crashed in a field and was destroyed.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-65-BA Superfortress in Iruma AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-84124
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, both right engines number three and four failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located five km southeast of the airbase. Three crew members were killed while eight others were seriously injured. It is reported that the electrical system failed as well.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-95-BW Superfortress near Randolph AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-21771
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Randolph - Randolph
MSN:
13665
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
After a seven hours training flight, the crew was on his way back to Randolph AFB when he encountered marginal weather conditions. While approaching the airfield at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the pilot disconnected the automatic pilot system and continued on instruments through an overcast. Shortly later, he reported losing all flight instruments and the aircraft became uncontrollable. Five crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion about 10 miles southeast of the airbase. The six crew members on board were killed.
Those killed were:
Cpt L. H. Calkins, navigator,
1st Lt Robert L. Wilson, copilot,
2nd Lt James E. Shaw, radio observer,
S/Sgt Roderick A. Howey, central gunner,
Cpl Ernest Bennett, right gunner,
Cpl Donald J. Cameron, tail gunner.

Crash of a Boeing KB-29M Superfortress near Comobabi: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-70024
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Davis-Monthan - Davis-Monthan
MSN:
10856
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The KB-29M aircraft was engaged in a refueling mission out of Davis-Monthan and was carrying a crew of 10. While cruising at an assigned altitude of 9,000 feet, the aircraft collided with a USAF Boeing B-50 that was completing a training sortie from Davis-Monthan with a crew of 13 on board. Both aircraft went into a dive and crashed in a desert area located in the region of Comobabi, about 50 miles west of Tucson. On board the B-29, six crew members were killed while four others were injured. On board the B-50, seven crew members were killed while six others were injured. The exact circumstances of the collision remains unclear.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-65-BN Superfortress in Kadena AFB

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-62152
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
11629
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason. There were no casualties.