Date & Time:
Sep 15, 1944 at 1649 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18448
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Ambérieu-en-Bugey – Istres
MSN:
4510
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew already completed two prior similar flights during the day, carrying staff from Ambérieu-en-Bugey to Istres AFB. En route, while flying along the Rhône River at an altitude of some 500 feet, the right engine failed. The captain decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing on the river. At low height, the aircraft hit a ferry cable and crashed into the river. In fifteen minutes, all seven occupants were able to leave the cabin and while six of them could swim to the shore, a passenger drowned. The aircraft drifted on several yards before coming to rest in Montfaucon.
Crew:
1st Lt Jack V. Devette, pilot,
2nd Lt Clifton E. Smith, copilot,
T/Sgt Raymond F. Foy, mechanic,
S/Sgt Bonnell Chambers Birkhead Jr., radio operator.
Passengers:
Milton Kushner,
Kenneth N. Spry,
Paul R. Gwaltney. †
Crew:
1st Lt Jack V. Devette, pilot,
2nd Lt Clifton E. Smith, copilot,
T/Sgt Raymond F. Foy, mechanic,
S/Sgt Bonnell Chambers Birkhead Jr., radio operator.
Passengers:
Milton Kushner,
Kenneth N. Spry,
Paul R. Gwaltney. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
