Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress on Mt North Baldy: 9 killed

The crew was assigned for a night training mission to several targets around Carrizozo, Vaughn, Albuquerque, west of Socorro and Magdalena, New Mexico. After Albuquerque, the crew navigated southwards by visually following the Rio Grande. Once clear of Ladron Peak, the navigator commanded a course to the southwest for the La Jencia Basin, west of Socorro Peak, for some low-level flight manoeuvres. Flying below 1,000 feet, the crew located several targets placed on the plains for flight and bombing practice. The lights from the village of Magdalena came into view. Continuing, the B17 approached Magdalena from the northeast for a bombing run on the airstrip northeast of town. Flying at only 700 feet, the B-17 crossed the small airstrip, circled over the village, and made a second pass over the airstrip. With the evening's mission completed, it was time to return to Alamogordo. The airplane took up a heading of southeast and started climbing. It struck the northwest slope of North Baldy Peak located approximately 10 km southeast from Magdalena at 9,500 foot elevation, only 25 metres from the summit. The tail section remained on the northwest side of the mountain; engines, wings, and fuselage catapulted over the crest to the southeast side of the mountain and caught fire, burning all night. The right wing separated and fell into the deep canyon south of the peak with two of the engines. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Joseph L. Grant,
2nd Lt Donald F. Jackson,
2nd Lt Lawrence Wilburn Van Tassel,
2nd Lt John R. Pratt,
S/Sgt Robert C. Myers,
S/Sgt Thomas C. Ferron,
Sgt Hanson E. Ortmyer,
Sgt Dale R. Rottier,
Sgt William G. Walls.