Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton)

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Wright-Patterson - Wright-Patterson

MSN:

82-5178

YOM:

1941

Location:

Newark

Country:

Region:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2913

Captain / Total hours on type:

44.00

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Wright-Patterson AFB and was approaching Newark when he encountered poor weather conditions with severe thunderstorms. Around noon, the pilot attempted to keep course by checking on the TWA light beam. The beam was an early navigational aid that was installed in 1927 at the current Newark Heath Airport. With low cloud cover and restricted visibility because of very heavy rain showers, it appears that the crew may have been unable to detect the TWA light and became lost or disoriented. Turning around in a possible effort to detect the light beam, the pilot descended to try to get his bearings on a landmark. Unfortunately, he was only about 100 feet off the ground when he came out of the cloud cover. The tail of the airplane impacted a tree and the airplane crashed on a building located at the corner of Wyoming Street and Hudson Avenue. All six crew members were killed as well as two people in the building. Three other people were injured.
Crew:
Col Douglas M. Kilpatrick, pilot,
2nd Lt Lawrence Sterman Lawver,
1st Lt Russell E. Newlin,
Pvt Charles W. Watson,
Cpl R. A. Arens.
Passenger:
Mr. O. A. Piopo.
Those killed on the ground:
Mrs. Jane Weston,
Mrs. Dolly Campbell.

Probable cause:

The primary cause of this accident can not be determined from the evidence so far available. However, the immediate cause of the crash appears to be the structural failure of the left wind and aileron at a spanwise station about half way between the landing light and the wing tip. The damage to the wing structure leading to the failure can not be attributed to any particular one of the possible causes. Other than the left outer wing panel part and aileron, the airplane was so badly broken and burned in the crash that study of other parts was impossible. Weather, clouds in vicinity of the accident were very low and the visibility was restricted due to heavy rain shower; considerable wind and lightning being reported. C. A. A. weather sequence do not show such a condition. The condition of rain, wind and lightning was verified by a number of reliable witnesses.

Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator at Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-11780

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

276

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane suffered an accident in unclear circumstances at Wright-Patterson AFB. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL at Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-18449

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

4511

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on landing for unknown reasons. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder at Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

40-1538

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1538

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed for unknown reasons while taking off from Wright-Patterson AFB. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo at Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas B-18 Bolo

Operator:

Registration:

38-599

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2649

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed upon takeoff from Wright-Patterson AFB and was destroyed by a post crash fire. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder at Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: May 17, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

41-7443

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

7443

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing at Wright-Patterson AFB, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid for several metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All seven crew members escaped unhurt while the airplane was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Failure of the nose gear after landing.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder in Wright Patterson AFB

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

41-7426

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

7426

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft crash landed in unknown circumstances. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all six crew were unhurt. The crew was in charge to convoy the bomber to a local plant so that it can be subject to modifications prior to its delivery to the Royal Air Force.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 off Stuart: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-39 (DC-2)

Operator:

Registration:

38-525

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dayton - Stuart

MSN:

2082

YOM:

1939

Location:

Stuart-Witham Field

Florida

Country:

Region:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton on a flight to Stuart-Witham Field, Florida. On approach, it entered a sudden squall near Port Sewall. In heavy rain falls and turbulences, the airplane lost a wing, caught fire and plunged into the Saint Lucie River. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt John R. Evans, pilot,
1st Lt Harry E. Bullock Jr., copilot,
Sgt Ercel Stallard, flight engineer,
Cpl Clarence F. Ayers, radio operator.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Raymon D. Clements,
2md Lt Newton H. Simpson,
Sgt John A. Rutko.

Probable cause:

Wing failure in heavy turbulences.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc in Stanford

Date & Time: Dec 1, 1941 at 1545 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

40-165

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wright-Patterson - Wright Patterson

Location:

Stanford

Kentucky

Country:

Region: