Date & Time: Aug 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-9091
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Biggs - Boise
MSN:
2563
YOM:
1941
Location:
Las Cruces
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The bomber departed Biggs AAF (El Paso) on a night navigational flight to Boise, Idaho. Soon after departure, the pilot encountered some lightning and moderate rain as he climbed through heavy cloud banks to 13,500 feet. After the pilot instructed everyone to wear their oxygen masks, the aircraft began to shake and shudder. Strong centrifugal forces held two airmen to the floor of the radio compartment. Unable to move, the two men were finally saved from the stricken bomber when the rear section of the fuselage broke apart at the radio room, tossing both men into the thundering night sky. They immediately pulled their ripcords and hit the ground within a few seconds. Out of control, the bomber crashed 24 km west of Las Cruces, killing the seven other occupants.
Those killed were:
2nd Lt James E. Hudson,
2nd Lt Frank B. Johnson,
Sgt Cato H. Myers,
2nd Lt Eugene E. Rochester,
2nd Lt Leon H. Shane,
2nd Lt William R. Simno,
2nd Lt James Van George.
Probable cause:
Investigators speculated that the plane may have been struck by lightning, but more likely was the fact that the pilot encountered some trouble near 13,500 feet and he was unable to recover. The strong centrifugal forces may have been the pilot suddenly pulling up when he saw how close to the ground he was after he saw the lights of Las Cruces in the distance. The centrifugal forces caused stress on the airframe that it could not handle and the bomber literally began to break apart in the sky.