Date & Time:
Jun 15, 1943 at 0650 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-7071
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Holloman AFB - Holloman AFB
MSN:
95
YOM:
1943
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Holloman AFB at 0630LT on a navigation, formation and bombing training exercise. Twenty minutes after takeoff, the crew leveled off at 12,000 feet and had to deal with atmospheric turbulence. The airplane slid to the lead airplane, a second USAAF B-24 registered 42-7146 that was taking part to the same exercise with a crew of 10 on board. A propeller of 42-7071 hit the lower part of the tail of 42-7146. Both airplanes entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the Sierra Blanca Range, near Ruidoso, some 84 km northeast of Holloman AFB. A crew from 42-7071 was able to bail out and survived while all 19 other crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Donald R. Lembright, pilot, †
2nd Lt Harold E. Simmons, copilot, †
2nd Lt Vernon E. Laschanzky, navigator, †
2nd Lt Michael Iwaszuk, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Julius G. Robison, flight engineer,
Sgt Raymond B. Post, assistant flight engineer, †
S/Sgt Leo F. Sheehan, radio operator, †
Sgt Richard M. Gray, assistant radio operator, †
Sgt Harold Gollin, tail gunner, †
Sgt Joseph J. Huddy, air gunner. †
Crew:
2nd Lt Donald R. Lembright, pilot, †
2nd Lt Harold E. Simmons, copilot, †
2nd Lt Vernon E. Laschanzky, navigator, †
2nd Lt Michael Iwaszuk, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Julius G. Robison, flight engineer,
Sgt Raymond B. Post, assistant flight engineer, †
S/Sgt Leo F. Sheehan, radio operator, †
Sgt Richard M. Gray, assistant radio operator, †
Sgt Harold Gollin, tail gunner, †
Sgt Joseph J. Huddy, air gunner. †
