Crash of a Boeing B-17F-1-BO Fortress in Bellefonte

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-24349
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3034
YOM:
1942
Location:
Bellefonte
Pennsylvania
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 crashed on landing and was destroyed. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Boeing 95 near Snow Shoe

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1932 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 95
Operator:
Registration:
NC417E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bellefonte – Cleveland
MSN:
1056
YOM:
1929
Location:
Snow Shoe
Pennsylvania
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:
En route from Bellefonte to Cleveland, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. While flying too low, the airplane impacted trees and crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Snow Shoe. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and the pilot was injured.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Boeing 95 on Mt Nittany: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1931 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 95
Operator:
Registration:
NC397E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New York – Bellefonte – Cleveland
MSN:
1057
YOM:
1929
Location:
Mt Nittany
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed New York on a mail flight to Cleveland. While approaching Bellefonte from the east at night, he encountered icing conditions. The airplane lost height and descended until it impacted the slope of Mt Nittany located about 5 km southeast of Tylersville. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Douglas M-3 in Chagrin Falls: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Douglas M-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC789
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bellefonte – Cleveland
MSN:
622
Location:
Chagrin Falls
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Bellefonte to Cleveland, the single engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a snow covered field located in an uninhabited area close to Chagrin Falls. The wreckage was found four days later. The pilot Thomas P. Nelson, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Douglas M-4 in Rattlesnake Hill

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Douglas M-4
Operator:
Registration:
NC1646
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bellefonte – Cleveland
MSN:
304
Location:
Rattlesnake Hill
Pennsylvania
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:
En route from Bellefonte to Cleveland, while flying in poor weather conditions, the aircraft lost height and descended until it struck the slope of Rattlesnake Hill. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on the airplane.

Crash of a Douglas M-3 off Sunbury

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1926 at 0155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas M-3
Operator:
Registration:
621
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
New Brunswick – Bellefonte
Location:
Sunbury
Pennsylvania
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:
En route from New Brunswick to Bellefonte, while on a night mail flight, the pilot got lost due to poor visibility caused by foggy conditions. While attempting an emergency landing, the aircraft hit a tree and crashed in the Susquehanna River off Sunbury. The pilot was rescued and the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B on Mt Nittany: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1925
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
385
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New Brunswick – Bellefonte
Location:
Mt Nittany
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot Charles H. Ames was performing a mail flight from New Brunswick to Bellefonte. Enroute, he encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility due to fog. While trying to establish a visual contact with the ground, the aircraft collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Nittany. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Bellefonte, SAR operations were initiated and more than 1,000 people took part to these operations. Ten days later, on October 11, a boy aged 15 found the wreckage and the dead body in a dense wooded area.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in Grampian: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1924
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
327
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bellefonte – Cleveland
Location:
Grampian
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Bellefonte to Cleveland, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls. He reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted trees and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in Meadville: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1923
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
291
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bellefonte – Cleveland
Location:
Meadville
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Bellefonte to Cleveland, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He reduced his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the airplane impacted a barbed wire fence and crashed, coming to rest upside down. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4M off Millersburg: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1920
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
31679
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hazlehurst – Bellefonte
Location:
Millersburg
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Hazlehurst to Bellefonte, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He reduced his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft collided with power cables and crashed in the Susquehanna River off Millersburg. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot F. A. Robinson was killed.
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