Date & Time:
Oct 21, 1945 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-48893
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Adak – Cold Bay – Elmendorf
MSN:
14709/26154
YOM:
1944
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
15
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Adak on a flight to Elmendorf AFB with an intermediate stop in Cold Bay. In the late evening, while approaching Elmendorf AFB, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls. A first attempt to land was aborted and during a second circuit to land, while too low, the airplane collided with cottonwood trees and crashed in a swampy area located 4 km southwest of the airbase. All 19 occupants were killed, 15 enlisted men and four crew members.
Crew:
Pvt Edward H. Dahl,
2nd Lt Richard E. DeMerse,
Sgt Marcus Gluck,
2nd Lt Robert Rakofsky.
Crew:
Pvt Edward H. Dahl,
2nd Lt Richard E. DeMerse,
Sgt Marcus Gluck,
2nd Lt Robert Rakofsky.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
