Crash of a Douglas A-20 Havoc in Meridian: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
AL385
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Meridian-Key Field
Mississippi
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 airplane crashed for unknown reasons 1,6 km southeast of Meridian-Key Field Airport. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Walter Joseph Miers.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Whistler: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1942 at 1045 LT
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
41-29652
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Meridian - Meridian
MSN:
87-7817
YOM:
1941
Location:
Whistler
Alabama
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While on a sortie from Meridian-Key Field AFB, the airplane was cruising at an altitude of about 500 feet when it rolled to the right. It got inverted, entered a dive and crashed in a wooded area located in Whistler, bursting into flames. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Emmett F. Hogue, pilot,
2nd Lt James D. Thompson, pilot,
S/Sgt John L. Poythress, radio operator,
Pvt Donald L. Delay, flight engineer,
Pvt William Ambrose Ochs, flight engineer,
Pvt Charles G. Hill Jr., air gunner,
Cpl Richard C. Delay.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. The violent maneuvers of the airplane could have been caused by switching on the Automatic Flight Control Equipment. Several pilots in this group have experienced violent changes in attitude when switching on flight controls or AFCE. One other probable cause is that the pilot, when seeing himself lose altitude while flying so low, pulled up too sharply thereby stalling the airplane.
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