Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder near Odessa: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1995 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N5546N
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Midland - Midland
MSN:
2253
YOM:
1940
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
21000
Captain / Total hours on type:
500.00
Aircraft flight hours:
2716
Circumstances:
Witnesses observed the aircraft approximately 250 feet above the ground heading towards the southwest. As the aircraft passed overhead, the 'engines were sputtering.' Approximately 3/4 mile from the witnesses, the aircraft made a 'sharp' right turn, nosed down, and impacted the ground. The engines 'quit' prior to the aircraft turning right. According to the operator, the flight was in preparation for a flight evaluation for the pilot-in-command by an FAA inspector. The pilot reported to Departure Control that he would be 'working on stalls and steep turns,' and the pilot was instructed to 'maintain VFR at or above five thousand five hundred.' The pilot-in-command had accumulated approximately 500 hours in the B-26. Prior to the accident flight, he had flown the B-26 once since October 8, 1993. That flight was on September 26, 1995, for a duration of 30 minutes. Prior to the flight the fuel tanks were 'sticked' and the total fuel was approximately 720 gallons of 100 octane low lead avgas. Examination of the airplane and engines did not disclose any pre mishap discrepancies. Due to the extent of damage, flight control continuity could not be established.
Probable cause:
The failure of the pilot to maintain minimum airspeed for flight resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin. Factors were the loss of power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's lack of recent flight experience in the aircraft.
Final Report:

Crash of a Martin B-26C-T Marauder in Mexico City: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1965 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XB-PEX
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9022
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Mexico City Airport for unknown reason. Three passengers were killed while five other occupants were injured. The airplane was owned by R. O'Farrell.

Crash of a Martin B-26C Marauder near Marion: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1959 at 1752 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N1502
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chicago – Baltimore
MSN:
8904
YOM:
1943
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
10577
Captain / Total hours on type:
805.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3766
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1728
Aircraft flight hours:
2967
Circumstances:
The purpose of this flight was to transport the executives from Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, to Baltimore, Maryland. Departure from Midway was at 1645LT. When the flight was near Marion, Ohio, and shortly after it had traversed an area of pronounced thunderstorm activity, it dived violently and nearly vertically to the ground. Destruction was of such extent that it could not be determined if a structural failure occurred in flight and consequently the probable cause of this accident could not be established.
Probable cause:
The Board is unable to determine the probable cause of this accident. However, circumstances suggest control difficulty of an undetermined nature during passage through an active developing line of thunderstorms.
Final Report:

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Toulouse

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Istres – Toulouse – Algiers
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Toulouse-Francazal Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed onto a hangar. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were injured, some of them seriously.
Crew:
Lt Roy,
Lt Gaspard,
S/Lt Pascine,
Adj Basque,
Sgt Pradessus,
Sgt Gret.

Crash of a Martin B-26G-15-MA Marauder in the Vosges: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1946 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Mengen - Brétigny-sur-Orge
MSN:
44-67855
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Captain / Total flying hours:
1300
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Mengen Airbase in the morning on a flight to Brétigny-sur-Orge, south of Paris, with several French Officers on board. Shortly before noon, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to heavy snow falls. While flying over the Vosges Mountain Range, the aircraft hit the slope of the snowy Le Ballon d'Alsace (1,247 meters high). The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 12 occupants were killed.
Crew (Groupe II/20 Bretagne):
S/Lt René Gasperment, pilot,
Sgt René Le Pironnec, navigator,
S/Lt André Taîb, radio operator,
Sgt Léopold Ney, mechanic.
Passengers:
Cdt Jean Mahé, Chief of Groupe II/20 Bretagne,
Cpt Loïc Le Saulnier,
Cpt Robert Milbeau,
Cdt Marcel Badoy,
Mrs Simone Badoy,
Mr Antoine Badoy (5 years old),
Mrs Jeanne Marie Stern, spouse of Cdt Jean Mahé,
Mr Robert Jolly, (9 years old, son of Cdt Jean Mahé).

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Valempoulières: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
52
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mengen – Lyon
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While overflying the Jura, the pilot encountered technical problems, maybe carburetor icing. He decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing when the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huger explosion in a wooded area. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (Groupe de Bombardement 2/63 Sénégal):
Cdt Fernand Condette,
Lt Jean Ducourneau,
Sgt Aimé Escriva,
Sgt Robert Radano,
S/Lt Jacques Margain,
Adj Marceau Audibert,
Sgt/C Édouard Barberet.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Poleymieux-au-Mont-d’Or: 16 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1945 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-66200
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lyon - Algiers
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Lyon-Bron Airport, while climbing, the crew encountered an unexpected technical failure and lost control of the aircraft that crashed onto a hill located in Poleymieux-au-Mont-d’Or, north of Lyon. All five crew members and 11 passengers were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Thomas, pilot,
Sgt René Bertini, copilot,
Asp André Moreau, navigator,
Sgt Aimé Barberis, radio operator,
Cpl Darech, flight engineer.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Ambrières: 12 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1945 at 1045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-68184
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Algiers – Lyon – Dijon – Saint-Dizier
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Saint-Dizier with French soldiers on leave. On approach, the visibility was poor due to foggy conditions. The aircraft was too low and hit poplar tops before crashing in flames in Ambrières, few km from the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 12 occupants were killed.
Crew (Groupe de Bombardement I/32 Gascogne):
Roger Derycke, pilot,
Pierre Lugrez, copilot,
Henri Neys,
Albert Onimus,
Hubert Trouillet,
Jean-François Rajon.
Passengers:
Pierre Danigo,
Pierre Bertrand,
Jean-Marc Zuccarelli,
Emile Dufour,
Roger Maniabal,
Rapha'el Canneddu.

Crash of a Martin B-26C-45-MO Marauder in Mélas: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1945 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-107777
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lyon - Algiers
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Lyon-Bron Airfield in the early morning on an air bridge to Algiers. While flying over the Coirons mountain range at an altitude of 3,000 meters, the crew encountered technical problems with the right engine. The aircraft lost height and eventually stalled before crashing in a huge explosion in Mélas. All 20 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Jacques Saiget, pilot,
Sgt René André Richard, copilot,
Lt Claude Victor Bit, navigator,
Sgt Marc André Emery, radio operator,
Sgt Gabriel Martinet, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Abade Ben Mohamed,
Mohamed Adil,
Bagled,
Jacob Ben Illouz,
Georges Fouyaux,
Antoine Giauguliano,
Biali Hassen,
Hubert Hermandez,
Louis André Lathuillère,
Ahmed Mimoni,
Mohamed Ben Mohamed,
Maurice Paya,
Lons Solers,
Mohamed Taleb,
Amer Zaza.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine.