Date & Time:
Jun 15, 1943 at 0650 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-7146
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Holloman AFB - Holloman AFB
MSN:
170
YOM:
1943
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 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. 42-7146 was the lead in the formation and a propeller of 42-7071 (second) hit the lower part of the tail of 42-7146 after it slid forward. Both airplanes entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the Sierra Blanca Range, near Ruidoso, some 84 km northeast of Holloman AFB. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Donald W. Kaspervik, pilot,
2nd Lt Ray E. Ward, copilot,
2nd Lt John V. Andrews, navigator,
2nd Lt Bruce G. Ellis, bombardier,
S/Sgt Eldon F. Ressler, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Arthur P. Wikle, assistant flight engineer,
Sgt Allen Chamovitz, radio operator,
2nd Lt Edward V. Handy Jr., observer,
S/Sgt George L. Scott, air gunner,
S/Sgt Andrew J. Alexander, air gunner.
Crew:
1st Lt Donald W. Kaspervik, pilot,
2nd Lt Ray E. Ward, copilot,
2nd Lt John V. Andrews, navigator,
2nd Lt Bruce G. Ellis, bombardier,
S/Sgt Eldon F. Ressler, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Arthur P. Wikle, assistant flight engineer,
Sgt Allen Chamovitz, radio operator,
2nd Lt Edward V. Handy Jr., observer,
S/Sgt George L. Scott, air gunner,
S/Sgt Andrew J. Alexander, air gunner.
