Kirtland AFB

The four engine aircraft departed Kirtland AFB on a test flight. While cruising at low altitude, the aircraft encountered turbulences and suffered a wing failure. It crashed in a hilly terrain located some 15,5 miles north of Magdalena. All 11 crew members were killed.

En route from Kirtland AFB to Nellis AFB, the four engine airplane crashed less than three minutes after a night takeoff in a mountainous area located in the Manzano Mountain Range, about 5 miles east of Kirtland AFB. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 20 occupants were killed. After takeoff from runway 08, ATC informed the crew about an insufficient altitude and instructed the crew to turn to the right and gain height. Shortly later, at an altitude of 6,500 feet, the airplane struck the ground and crashed on the slope of a mountain, less than 30 feet below the summit.

The four engine aircraft was performing a flight from Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, carrying eight crew members and aircraft equipment. On final approach to Calverton-Peconic River Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with rain showers and cross winds. By night, the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area located about a mile short of runway. Two crew members were seriously injured while six others were killed.
Those killed were:
Cpt Kyle Morris,
Cdr Robert Baker,
Lt Allen Able,
LT Ralph Stevens,
N. R. Seitz,
R. W. Caldwell.

The takeoff was attempted in strong cross winds. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft deviated from the runway centerline. Despite corrections on part of the flying crew, the four engine aircraft veered off runway and came to rest. A passenger was killed while few others were injured.

On final approach to Kirtland AFB, the crew encountered strong crosswinds up to 35 knots. After passing over the runway 08 threshold, while at a height of 200 feet, the aircraft banked right, causing the engine number six to hit the runway surface. On impact, the engine was seriously damaged and caught fire. The pilot in command attempted to make a go around when the aircraft nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion. Two passengers were seriously injured while 23 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Maj Edward L. Warner Jr., pilot, †
Cpt Grant H. Fenn, pilot, †
Cpt Albert J. Gregg Jr., navigator, †
Cpt George W. Lee, radar observer, †
1st Lt Mitchell J. Buckalew, flight engineer, †
Sgt Kenneth R. Cota, radio operator, †
S/Sgt Arthur I. Botten, senior gunner, †
S/Sgt Robert A. Baker, senior gunner, †
1st Lt John L. Corley, flight engineer. †
Passengers:
Cpt Fred M. Mitchem, †
S/Sgt Thomas C. Gustavson, †
Sgt Henry C. Dox, †
S/Sgt Estill Myrick, †
Sgt Lloyd L. Goolsby, †
S/Sgt Dale F. Curtis, †
Sgt George F. Soroe Jr., †
M/Sgt John Ritz, †
T/Sgt John T. Thompson, †
S/Sgt James Margoee, †
Sgt Charles E. Linn, †
Sgt Berry Hays, †
Cpl Wilfred S. Leclair Jr., †
Pfc William J. Powers, †
Cpl Richard N. Fogwell,
S/Sgt Jack E. Erickson.

Three minutes after takeoff from runway 08 at Kirtland AFB, while in initial climb, the heavy bomber went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion on a mountain slope located near Sandia, about 5,7 miles east of the airbase. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 13 crew members were killed. Detonators were installed in the bomb on board the aircraft. The bomb case was demolished ans some high explosive (HE) material burned in the gasoline fire. Other pieces of unburned HE were scattered throughout the wreckage. Four spare detonators in their carrying case were recovered undamaged. There were no contamination or recovery problems. The recovered components of the weapon were returned to the Atomic Energy Commission. Both the weapon and the capsule of nuclear material were on board the aircraft but the capsule was not inserted for safety reasons.

Shortly after takeoff from Kirtland AFB, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. There were 14 crew members on board. 13 were killed and the only survivor was the pilot John Parker Shaw.

The crew was performing a flight from Bakersfield to the Kirtland Field AFB in New Mexico. While cruising by night at an altitude of 12,000 feet, the crew maintained a last contact radio with ATC at 0302LT. Less than thirty minutes later, the bomber aircraft hit the west slope of Mt Humphreys located some 10 miles north of Flagstaff and disintegrated. The wreckage was reached by the SAR teams in the next early morning and all eight occupants perished.
Photos available on:
http://www.lostflights.com/Other-1/91544-USAAF-Consolidated-B-24J/5673630_LqhLS2

The crew left Kirtland AFB (Albuquerque) on a training mission to Kansas City. En route, while approaching a mountainous area, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with strong winds and turbulence. The heavy bomber went out of control, lost height and crashed on the wooded slope of Trail Peak, in the Philmont National Reserve, some 20 miles southwest of Cimarron. All nine occupants, among them pilot Robert Redding, were killed.