Holloman AFB (Alamogordo)

The airplane departed Holloman AFB on a training exercise. A fire broke out on the engine n°2, forcing the crew to cancel the mission and to return to base for an emergency landing. On final approach with the port wing fully engulfed in flames, the airplane went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. Eight crew members were killed while the radio operator parachuted to safety and was unhurt.
Crew:
2nd Lt Thomas N. La Pia,pilot,
2nd Lt Richard S. Browne, copilot,
S/Sgt Frederick S. Jennings, flight engineer,
S/Sgt William A. Lonnevik, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt William F. Hofmann Jr., navigator,
S/Sgt William E. Luchowski, assistant radio operator,
2nd Lt Leonard L. Taix, bombardier,
S/Sgt Louis J. Fontana, air gunner.

Crashed on takeoff for unknown reasons. There were no fatalities.

The airplane departed Topeka AAF at the end of the afternoon on a flight to Holloman AFB, Alamogordo. Approaching the destination from the north at an altitude of 12,500 feet, the crew encountered clouds and icing conditions. As the airplane was highly contaminated with ice, the pilot began to lose control and ordered his crew to bail out. Two crew members were able to parachute to safety before the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in hilly terrain located in the Sacramento Mountain Range, near Mescalero, some 45 km northeast of Holloman AFB The airplane was destroyed and 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Merle C. Brock, pilot,
F/O Robert D. Long, pilot,
2nd Lt Reed J. Berrett, pilot,
F/O Thomas N. Padon, copilot,
S/Sgt Harry W. Ostrom, flight engineer,
Sgt Vernal O. Christensen, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Guy L. Archambeau, radio operator,
S/Sgt Louis C. Fuller, radio operator,
2nd Lt Walter C. Henning, bombardier,
2nd Lt David R. Fedder, bombardier.

The crew was performing a local training flight out from Holloman AFB, Alamogordo. After descending out of clouds at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the airplane rolled to the right, entered a flat spin and crashed in the White Sands National Park, some 16 km west of Holloman AFB. The airplane was destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt William A. Ebert, pilot,
2nd Lt Arthur M. Thomas, copilot,
S/Sgt Glenn M. McKnight, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Robert A. Garrett, radio operator,
Sgt Joseph P. Rafac, radio operator,
2nd Lt Paul Vistuba, navigator,
2nd Lt Stanley G. Netz, bombardier,
Sgt Billie D. Francis, air gunner,
Sgt Howard G. Lilley, air gunner,
Sgt John J. Mikolich, air gunner.
Passenger:
Sgt Willard S. Schrader.

Shortly after takeoff from Topeka AAF, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed 1,5 km south of the airfield, bursting into flames. All eight crew members were killed. The airplane was en route to Holloman AFB, Alamogordo.
Crew:
1st Lt William L. Stephenson,
2nd Lt James B. Hinds,
2nd Lt Jack C. Mulligan,
S/Sgt Arthur J. Harvey Jr.,
S/Sgt Blaine W. Huston,
S/Sgt George P. Richards Jr.,
S/Sgt Louis A. Scheer,
Sgt Donald R. Groves.

The airplane departed Holloman AFB and was number four in a formation of four similar airplanes. After departure, the formation bound to the north and after entering in clouds, the pilot reduced his speed, probably to avoid any collision with the preceding airplanes. After the pilot throttled back the power lever, the airplane stalled and entered an uncontrolled descent during which the wing tip, rudder and elevator were sheared off. The airplane crashed in an open field in Tularosa and was totally destroyed. The radio operator parachuted to safety while 11 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt James W. McClure, pilot,
2nd Lt James B. Milligan, copilot,
S/Sgt William B. Dyson, flight engineer,
Sgt Chester C. Shoemaker, assistant flight engineer,
Sgt Robert T. Cole, assistant radio operator,
2nd Lt Daniel W. Phillips, navigator,
2nd Lt Donald A. Irwin, bombardier,
Sgt Melvin A. Plumberg, air gunner.
Passengers:
Tec5 William J. Lewis,
Tec5 Steve Voytko,
Sgt Leroy H. Wilkins.

The four engine airplane departed Holloman AFB on a training exercise with a crew of 10 on board. While flying at night at low altitude, the captain snap the automatic pilot system when the airplane nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion 5 km west of Alamogordo. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 10 crew members were killed. It is understood that a recovery was impossible due to an insufficient distance with the ground.
Crew:
2nd Lt William F. Schulte, pilot,
2nd Lt Elmer J. Molique Jr., copilot,
2nd Lt Billie D. Stults, copilot,
Sgt Paul D. Miller, flight engineer,
Pvt Floyd J. Pekrul, flight engineer,
Sgt Willie F. Rose, radio operator,
Sgt Austin P. Young, radio operator,
2nd Lt Raymond W. Wherling, O-795324, PA, Navigator
Sgt Warren S. Leeper, air gunner,
Sgt Robert C. McCormick, air gunner.

The crew was assigned for a night training mission to several targets around Carrizozo, Vaughn, Albuquerque, west of Socorro and Magdalena, New Mexico. After Albuquerque, the crew navigated southwards by visually following the Rio Grande. Once clear of Ladron Peak, the navigator commanded a course to the southwest for the La Jencia Basin, west of Socorro Peak, for some low-level flight manoeuvres. Flying below 1,000 feet, the crew located several targets placed on the plains for flight and bombing practice. The lights from the village of Magdalena came into view. Continuing, the B17 approached Magdalena from the northeast for a bombing run on the airstrip northeast of town. Flying at only 700 feet, the B-17 crossed the small airstrip, circled over the village, and made a second pass over the airstrip. With the evening's mission completed, it was time to return to Alamogordo. The airplane took up a heading of southeast and started climbing. It struck the northwest slope of North Baldy Peak located approximately 10 km southeast from Magdalena at 9,500 foot elevation, only 25 metres from the summit. The tail section remained on the northwest side of the mountain; engines, wings, and fuselage catapulted over the crest to the southeast side of the mountain and caught fire, burning all night. The right wing separated and fell into the deep canyon south of the peak with two of the engines. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Joseph L. Grant,
2nd Lt Donald F. Jackson,
2nd Lt Lawrence Wilburn Van Tassel,
2nd Lt John R. Pratt,
S/Sgt Robert C. Myers,
S/Sgt Thomas C. Ferron,
Sgt Hanson E. Ortmyer,
Sgt Dale R. Rottier,
Sgt William G. Walls.

The airplane suffered an unknown technical failure and crashed on landing at Holloman AFB, bursting into flames. There were no casualties.

Crashed on takeoff from Holloman AFB. There were no fatalities.