Date & Time:
Jan 2, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5152
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Wendover - Wendover
MSN:
3691
YOM:
1942
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
10
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Wendover AFB on a navigation exercise with a crew of 10 on board. En route, weather conditions worsened and the crew decided to cancel some parts of the mission. While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet in limited visibility, the airplane impacted the east side of a peak located in the Ruby Mountain Range, near the Pole Canyon, about 37 km southwest of Wells. As the airplane failed to return to base, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended as no trace of the airplane nor the 10 occupants was found. The wreckage was spotted on 24 June 1943.
Crew:
2nd Lt Cyril J. Casey, pilot,
2nd Lt Ray C. Hochheimer, copilot,
2nd Lt Clifford J. Elliott, navigator,
2nd Lt Arthur F. Kelly, bombardier,
Sgt Michael J. DiSalvo, flight engineer,
Sgt Alexander C. Johnson, assistant flight engineer,
Sgt Seymour E. Sonkin, radio operator,
Sgt Byron E. Olson, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Lowell T. Stoner, air gunner,
Sgt James A. Karnspon, air gunner.
Crew:
2nd Lt Cyril J. Casey, pilot,
2nd Lt Ray C. Hochheimer, copilot,
2nd Lt Clifford J. Elliott, navigator,
2nd Lt Arthur F. Kelly, bombardier,
Sgt Michael J. DiSalvo, flight engineer,
Sgt Alexander C. Johnson, assistant flight engineer,
Sgt Seymour E. Sonkin, radio operator,
Sgt Byron E. Olson, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Lowell T. Stoner, air gunner,
Sgt James A. Karnspon, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain. Official weather reports state that the mountain tops were probably obscured in stratocumulus clouds with scattered snow showers.
