Date & Time:
Mar 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-29932
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
5046
YOM:
1942
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft had been doing rapid climbs and dives to test the venting systems on the long distance 'Tokyo' fuel tanks that had been installed in the aircraft's outer wing panels. It was during these oscillations that the clips which had been used to hold the fabric to the elevators (instead of sewing them on) departed the aircraft along with the covering and, having rapidly unloaded the control surfaces, removed the horizontal stabilizers. Without pitch control the aircraft began to porpoise, bringing an enthusiastic ringing of the bail out bell and all souls jumped, along with the pilot who floated out last on the apogee of a climb, getting to watch his aircraft's impact while hanging in his chute. He said the plane hit fairly flat in the woods and that he could see four "fingers of flame" shoot out ahead of the wreck as the engines were thrown forward. When he hit the ground, the pilot announced to a bewildered audience: "And for this I need a college education!" The aircraft crashed near Port Orchard and was destroyed. All crew members were rescued.
Source: Joe Baugher.
Source: Joe Baugher.
