Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo in Albuquerque

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
38-597
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2647
YOM:
1938
Location:
Albuquerque
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane ground looped upon takeoff and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.
Crew:
David Grinnell.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo near McDill AFB

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
37-496
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2496
YOM:
1937
Location:
McDill AFB (Tampa)
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure and crash landed near McDill AFB. There were no casualties.
Crew:
William C. Anderson.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo in Borinquen

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
37-516
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2516
YOM:
1937
Location:
Borinquen
All Puerto Rico
Country:
Puerto Rico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed upon landing at Borinquen Airport. There were no casualties among the crew.
Crew:
W. Battersby.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo at Beane Field

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
36-308
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1696
YOM:
1936
Location:
Beane Field
All Saint Lucia
Country:
Saint Lucia
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Beane Field, the twin engine airplane collided with a second USAAF Douglas B-18 Bolo registered 37-588. There were no injuries while both airplanes were damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Harvey E. Ferguson.

Crash of a Douglas B-18 Bolo at Beane Field

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
37-588
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2588
YOM:
1937
Location:
Beane Field
All Saint Lucia
Country:
Saint Lucia
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Beane Field, the twin engine airplane collided with a second USAAF Douglas B-18 Bolo registered 36-308. There were no injuries while both airplanes were damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
V. D. Torgerson.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo in Pine Bluff

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
37-622
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2622
YOM:
1937
Location:
Pine Bluff
Arkansas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to make an emergency landing due to poor weather conditions. The airplane was damaged beyond repair in the forced landing. There were no casualties.
Crew:
Harvey Hogan.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing due to poor weather.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo on Mt Wolf: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
39-26
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
McClellan - Pendleton
MSN:
2674
YOM:
1939
Location:
Mt Wolf (Ochoco National Forest)
Oregon
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from McClellan (Sacramento) to Alaska with an intermediate stop in Pendleton, Oregon. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to snow falls. The twin engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Wolf located in the Ochoco National Forest, central east Oregon. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft was found. The wreckage was eventually found on 13 August 1942 about 60 miles east of Prineville. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (36th Squadron):
2nd Lt Richard J. Heiderstadt, pilot,
2nd LT Walter V. McShane, copilot,
T/Sgt Michael R. Bittner, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Donald R. Kirtland, radio operator.

Crash of a Douglas B-18 Bolo off Surabaya: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
36-338
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bandung – Malang
MSN:
1726
YOM:
1936
Location:
Surabaya
East Java
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
En route from Bandung to Malang, the twin engine airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero and crashed into the sea off Surabaya. Two crew members were rescued while five other occupants were killed. The next day, both survivors died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Maj Austin A. Straubel, pilot,
Lt Russell Marshall Smith, copilot,
S/Sgt George W. Pickett, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Lt Glenn Harold Boes,
Maj Joseph Adair Burch,
Lt Erwin Roy Kriel,
Col William Herbert Murphy.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo at Fort Richardson AAF

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
37-531
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2531
YOM:
1937
Location:
Fort Richardson-Bryant AAF
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure upon takeoff and crashed. Crew fate unknown.
Crew:
John G. Pickard.
Probable cause:
Engine failure at takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas B-18 Bolo near Penonomé: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
36-299
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1687
YOM:
1936
Location:
Penonomé
Coclé
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances 15 km northeast of Penonomé. At least one crew was killed.
Crew:
George C. Denter.
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