Date & Time: Apr 7, 1945 at 1348 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
43-47187
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
MSN:
258
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Two minutes after its departure from runway 23 at Lawrenceville-George AFB, while climbing to a height of 400 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located two miles from the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and both crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Hadley R. Edmondson,
1st Lt Donald L. Ferrier.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to prepare the flight correctly and to follow the pre-departure check-list. It was determined that the loss of control was caused by the fact that the elevator gust locks were not removed prior to departure on part of the crew.