Date & Time:
Feb 25, 1943 at 2135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5102
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Casper - Casper
MSN:
3641
YOM:
1942
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
10
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Casper on a practice bombing exercise. While cruising in poor weather conditions and icing conditions, the pilot lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed some 40 km north of Glenrock. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Louis E. Machala Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Ned J. DeVries, copilot,
S/Sgt John W. Madden Jr., flight engineer,
S/Sgt John F. Elson, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt Harry M. Cannon, navigator,
S/Sgt Eugene D. Giles Jr., radio operator,
S/Sgt Alfred W. Fuller, assistant radio operator,
2nd Lt Joseph N. Hershman, bombardier,
S/Sgt Robert C. Parrott Jr., air gunner,
Sgt James C. Fisher, air gunner.
Crew:
2nd Lt Louis E. Machala Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Ned J. DeVries, copilot,
S/Sgt John W. Madden Jr., flight engineer,
S/Sgt John F. Elson, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt Harry M. Cannon, navigator,
S/Sgt Eugene D. Giles Jr., radio operator,
S/Sgt Alfred W. Fuller, assistant radio operator,
2nd Lt Joseph N. Hershman, bombardier,
S/Sgt Robert C. Parrott Jr., air gunner,
Sgt James C. Fisher, air gunner.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control occurred after the pilot suffered a spatial disorientation while cruising in poor weather conditions.
