Greenland

Crashed three km east of Thule Airbase while approaching the airfield. Crew fate unknown.

The crew was involved in a SAR mission following the crash of a USAF C-47 on December 9. In unknown circumstances, the B-17 crash landed in an icecap. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site, all six crew members were rescued by the crew of a ski equipped C-47 on December 27, 1948.

En route, an engine failure forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft eventually crash landed on the icecap and came to rest. Several attempts to rescue the crew failed, one of them with the crash of a B-17 registered 44-83724. On December 27, the crew of a ski equipped C-47 was able to land and to evacuate all six occupants. The aircraft was abandoned on site.
Source: ASN & Joe Baugher.

The crew left Fort Wainwright (Ladd Field) on a Top Secret flight over Soviet Union, a mission that should take from 12 to 20 hours. While returning to his base and flying over Greenland at an altitude of 24,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost his orientation. The pilot was unable to locate his position and informed his base that he was forced to attempt an emergency landing as the fuel reserve was four minutes only. The aircraft crash landed on an icy area located about 280 NM north of Thule Airbase. The crew was rescued three days later and the aircraft christened 'Kee Bird' was abandoned. A team was created in the nineties to recover the wreckage but unfortunately, on May 21, 1995, the aircraft caught fire following a fuel leak and was destroyed.
Crew (46th Reconnaissance Squadron):
Vern Arnett, pilot,
Russel S. Jordan, copilot,
Talbert Gates, copilot,
John G. Lesman, astro navigator,
Burl Cowan, navigator,
Robert Luedke, flight engineer,
Howard Adams, radar observer,
Lawrence Yarborough, gunner,0
Ernie Stewart, gunner,
Paul McNamara, gunner,
Robert Leader, radio operator.

Following a maritime patrol flight, the crew was returning to base at Narsarsuaq. After landing, while taxiing to the base, the seaplane collided with an iceberg and was severely damaged. All five crew members escaped unhurt and the airplane was later damaged beyond repair while being hoisted.
Crew:
Lt H. C. Weart, pilot,
Lt(jg) R. K. Buchanan,
Rm2c W. Finch,
Amm1c W. Bittorf,
Amm1c R. J. Page.

This accident occurred while flying over Greenland Ice Cap at an altitude of 4500-ft indicated. This should have given a clearance of 1000-ft according to charts of the area. Weather and snow covered terrain resulted in poor depth perception (whiteout conditions). Without realizing they were close to the ice, as a horizon was visible and were not on instruments, they suddenly made contact on the upgrade of a 400-ft slope. the pilot immediately applied throttles in an attempt to get into air but was unsuccessful due to the slope. Further attempts to swing plane around in order to take-off down grade were unsuccessful as plane sank into snow and ice. Block and tackle was dropped, but that also proved unsuccessful. The Ice Cap presents an unbroken pure white surface and when the prominent cost of landmarks are not visible, depth perception is extremely difficult, analagons to flying over glassy water in low visibility. It is considered that the fundamental cause of this accident was the almost lack of depth perception. This plane and its crew were strained on the ice cap for fifteen days, but were in constant touch with there base by radio. A plane dropped supplies and salvage equipment. On the 14th day a Danish Rescue party reached them. On the fifteenth day they abandoned there plane, all confidential publications, the IFF, SBAE and RADAR being destroyed. They returned by foot to the rescue party's came and on the sixteenth day returned to the NORTH STAR. Except for extreme cold, none of the crew suffered any ill effects.
Crew:
Lt R. W. Shepard, pilot,
Lt A. H. Gilster, copilot,
AP2c M. V. Egert,
Amm2c N. J. Richey Jr.,
Amm3c W. Blankenship,
Rm1c J. J. Rutowski,
Rm3c E. R. Herbert.
Source: http://www.warcovers.dk/greenland/crash270143.htm

The twin engine airplane departed Narsarsuaq on a flight to Bluie East Two on behalf of the USAAF. The crew was taking part to SAR operations after a B-17 was missing. En route, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to fog. Because of strong head winds, the airplane ran out of fuel and the crew was forced to make an emergency landing. Equipped with skis, the airplane landed on an icy lake near Angmagssalik but it went through the ice and sank. Both crew members managed to evacuate and walked few days before being helped by locals.

After a USAAF Douglas C-53 Skytrooper registered 42-15569 with five men aboard was missing since November 5, the B-17 registered 42-5088 was diverted on its ferry flight from USA to the UK to join the search for the crew. During the search operation, it approached the approximate center of its search grid from seaward where it encountered a local low cloud ceiling. The airplane reversed course to go around the weather and headed in again, going northward into Køge Bay fjord to the west, and flew into a visual 'white-out' condition, which became an unseen three-sided trap. The pilot began to turn away to the left, causing the left wing tip to struck the unseen Ice Cap. The plane skidded for about 200 metres on the surface of the Køge Bay fjord's active glacier, broke apart at the aft bulkhead of the radio compartment, rear of the wings. The broken-off tail section was overhanging a large open crevasse, and another crevasse was in front of the plane. The plane was at about 4,000 feet elevation and 47 km northwest of Beach Head Station. All nine occupants survived the accident and were rescued.

The airplane was on a transit flight from Prestwick to Presque Isle with intermediate stops in Reykjavik and Bluie West One (Narsarsuaq). It departed Reykjavik Airport at 0834LT bound to the west. Due to weather conditions, the airplane was forced to land on the east coast of Greenland. At approximately 1300LT, Reykjavik received a signal from the crew of the C-53, reporting they were down. The crew gave, what they thought were the correct coordinates, and were instructed to pop flares at designated times. The flares were seen from three different stations. After an exhaustive search, the crew of the C-53 were declared dead after 30 days. It was determined that with no battery, rations or proper cold weather clothing, the crew could not survive past 30 days.
Crew:
Cpt Homer C. McDowell, pilot,
2nd Lt William L. Springer,
S/Sgt E. L. Monahan,
Pvt William W. Everett,
Pvt Thurman Johannessen.

Sincere thanks to Jennifer Lehr, project leader, historian and family member of one of the crew, for her contribution.

The airplane was on a ferry flight from USA to Europe. Approaching Bluie West One (Narsarsuaq), it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All crew members were rescued.