Date & Time:
Feb 15, 1950 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-65355
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
8
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane was dispatched out from Spokane AFB on a SAR mission after a Convair B-36 was missing since the previous day. Following a technical stop at Malmstrom AFB, the bomber took off in the early morning to resume the patrol mission. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of about 100 feet, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion 5 km southwest of the airbase. Eight crew members were killed and seven others were injured.
Crew:
Maj Clyde Butts, pilot, †
Cpt Lester V. Johnson Jr., copilot, †
Cpt Johnathan M. Herbold, copilot, †
1st Lt Herbert S. Findley, navigator, †
1st Lt John S. Bomberg, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Robert E. Fisher, flight engineer, †
Cpl James V, Fulton, radio operator, †
S/Sgt James Di Ploro, radio operator, †
Lt Frederick N. Willard,
M/Sgt Earl E. Everet,
S/Sgt Troy E. Evans,
S/Sgt Victor Jacquot,
S/Sgt Charles J. Wilson,
Sgt Clarence R. Abernathy,
Cpl Raymond D. Brandel.
Crew:
Maj Clyde Butts, pilot, †
Cpt Lester V. Johnson Jr., copilot, †
Cpt Johnathan M. Herbold, copilot, †
1st Lt Herbert S. Findley, navigator, †
1st Lt John S. Bomberg, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Robert E. Fisher, flight engineer, †
Cpl James V, Fulton, radio operator, †
S/Sgt James Di Ploro, radio operator, †
Lt Frederick N. Willard,
M/Sgt Earl E. Everet,
S/Sgt Troy E. Evans,
S/Sgt Victor Jacquot,
S/Sgt Charles J. Wilson,
Sgt Clarence R. Abernathy,
Cpl Raymond D. Brandel.
