Date & Time:
Jan 15, 1943 at 2323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-9181
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Boise - Boise
MSN:
2653
YOM:
1941
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
10
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While cruising in the vicinity of Boise-Gowen Field at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the airplane collided with a second USAAF B-17 registered 41-2603. Out of control, it entered a dive and crashed in Kuna, southwest of the airport. Ten crew members were killed and one bailed out and was seriously injured. 41-2603 landed safely at Gowen Field.
Crew:
2nd Lt Paul C. Painter, pilot,
2nd Lt William W. Reed Jr., copilot,
S/Sgt Rollen H. Eubank, flight engineer,
Sgt Pasquale P. Patri, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt Raymond A. Hay, navigator,
S/Sgt William J. Griffiths, radio operator,
S/Sgt Raymond A. Etherton Jr, assistant radio operator,
2nd Lt Howard H. Norton Jr, bombardier,
Sgt Christian F. Weinhold, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Arthur P. Mayer, air gunner.
Crew:
2nd Lt Paul C. Painter, pilot,
2nd Lt William W. Reed Jr., copilot,
S/Sgt Rollen H. Eubank, flight engineer,
Sgt Pasquale P. Patri, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt Raymond A. Hay, navigator,
S/Sgt William J. Griffiths, radio operator,
S/Sgt Raymond A. Etherton Jr, assistant radio operator,
2nd Lt Howard H. Norton Jr, bombardier,
Sgt Christian F. Weinhold, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Arthur P. Mayer, air gunner.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot of 41-2603 spotted the other airplane flying towards him in a near head-on direction and attempted a rapid pull up, but 41-9181's cockpit collided with 41-2603's tail wheel area and the pilots were likely severely injured or outright killed by the impact, causing the airplane to be out of control.
