Crash of a Boeing B-29-55-MO Superfortress near Yokota AFB: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-86400
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Four minutes after takeoff from Yokota AFB, while climbing, the heavy bomber hit the slope of a mountain located near the village of Saimon, about 10 km northwest of the airbase. Two crew members were rescued while nine others were killed.
Crew:
Cpl Sherley B. Ardoin, †
Cpl Norman F. Cline,
2nd Lt William F. Evert, †
T/Sgt Charles R. Fitzwater, †
1st Lt Earl H. Lemons, †
S/Sgt Wayne L. Marchand, †
Cpl Carrol L. Rackley, †
2nd Lt Harold G. Richards, †
1st Lt Norbert L. Robie, †
Sgt James H. Sample,
1st Lt John G. Stevens. †

Crash of a Douglas SC-47A in Thule AFB

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1952
Operator:
Registration:
42-93513
Flight Type:
MSN:
13433
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed three km east of Thule Airbase while approaching the airfield. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B-56-DL Invader in Kangdong: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1952 at 2105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-34417
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Busan East - Busan East
MSN:
27696
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was conducting a night reconnaissance mission out from Busan East Airbase. At 2105LT, the radio operator made his last transmission with his base when the aircraft disappeared in unclear circumstances. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew:
1st Lt Raymond Bennett Jr.,
Cpt Cecil W. Brandsted,
Cpt Wilford T. Cook,
A1C Wayne E. Lewis,
1st Lt John H. Zimmerlee Jr.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-90-BW Superfortress near Randolph AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1952 at 1350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-87774
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Randolph - Randolph
MSN:
12577
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
At 1350 CST, 12 March 1952, two B-29 aircraft, AF No. 44-87774 and No. 44-62223, both assigned to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, were involved in a mid-air collision approximately 19 miles north of Randolph Air Force Base. Results of the collision were such that the tail section of the rammed aircraft, No. 44-62223, separated from the fuselage, rendering this aircraft uncontrollable. Portions of the ramming aircraft, No. 44-87774, found along the flight path following the collision, indicated a strong possibility that all personnel in the forward section of this aircraft were incapacitated. Both aircraft crashed with all personnel aboard.
Crew on board 44-87774 were:
M/Sgt Clyde L. Arnold, instructor engineer,
Cpl Wallace L. Bertog, flight engineer,
Pfc Donald L. Jameson, student gunner,
1st Lt Lester H. Johnson, pilot,
Pvt Sanford L. "Sandy" Kerner, student gunner,
Maj Robert W. Padgett, student aircraft commander,
Pfc William E. Reynolds, student gunner,
1st Lt Dale W. Scott, instructor pilot.
Crew on board 44-62223 were:
Pfc Arthur L. Hall, student gunner,
M/Sgt Ward W. Hovis, flight engineer,
Cpl Patrick H. Martin, instructor gunner,
M/Sgt Harrell B. Meyers, instructor engineer,
1st Lt Robert D. Neu, student aircraft commander,
Cpt Donald L. Rottier, instructor pilot,
1st Lt Moses G. Seals, pilot.
Source: http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the collision.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing TB-29A-70-BN Superfortress near Randolph AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1952 at 1350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-62223
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Randolph - Randolph
MSN:
11700
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
At 1350 CST, 12 March 1952, two B-29 aircraft, AF No. 44-87774 and No. 44-62223, both assigned to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, were involved in a mid-air collision approximately 19 miles north of Randolph Air Force Base. Results of the collision were such that the tail section of the rammed aircraft, No. 44-62223, separated from the fuselage, rendering this aircraft uncontrollable. Portions of the ramming aircraft, No. 44-87774, found along the flight path following the collision, indicated a strong possibility that all personnel in the forward section of this aircraft were incapacitated. Both aircraft crashed with all personnel aboard.
Crew on board 44-87774 were:
M/Sgt Clyde L. Arnold, instructor engineer,
Cpl Wallace L. Bertog, flight engineer,
Pfc Donald L. Jameson, student gunner,
1st Lt Lester H. Johnson, pilot,
Pvt Sanford L. "Sandy" Kerner, student gunner,
Maj Robert W. Padgett, student aircraft commander,
Pfc William E. Reynolds, student gunner,
1st Lt Dale W. Scott, instructor pilot.
Crew on board 44-62223 were:
Pfc Arthur L. Hall, student gunner,
M/Sgt Ward W. Hovis, flight engineer,
Cpl Patrick H. Martin, instructor gunner,
M/Sgt Harrell B. Meyers, instructor engineer,
1st Lt Robert D. Neu, student aircraft commander,
Cpt Donald L. Rottier, instructor pilot,
1st Lt Moses G. Seals, pilot.
Source: http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the collision.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL in Offutt AFB

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1952 at 0319 LT
Operator:
Registration:
43-16257
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Offutt - Mountain Home
MSN:
20723
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the airplane banked left and crash landed. It went across trees and through a fence before coming to rest in flames near a house occupied by senior officers of the Strategic Air Command. All 12 occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. The exact reason of the occurrence remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL off La Ciotat

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1952
Operator:
Registration:
42-100502
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
18965
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an engine failure in flight, the crew decided to ditch the aircraft into the Mediterranean Sea off La Ciotat. While all occupants were rescued, the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL on the Guggi Glacier: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1952 at 1540 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-100593
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Madrid - Fürstenfeldbruck
MSN:
19056
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Madrid-Barajas to the airbase of Fürstenfeldbruck located west of Munich. At 1455LT, while cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet, the radio operator informed ground about his position three km south of Dijon. Apparently due to navigation errors, the airplane then continued to the east over the Swiss Alps when it hit the slope of a mountain surrounding the Guggi Glacier. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, Swiss authorities were contacted at the end of the day by the USAF quarters in Frankfurt-Main AB that an airplane was missing. SAR operations were conducted by locals and the wreckage was found a day later at an altitude of 3,000 meters. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all eight occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Col Gus John Mehess, pilot,
Lt Col Robert L. Spear, copilot,
Maj Samuel D. McFadden, instructor pilot,
Sgt Earl D. Clay, radio operator,
Cpl Boyd F. Crook, flight engineer,
Lt Col Orville H. Riggs, observer,
Maj Ralph C. Adams, observer.
Passenger:
Erwin L. Steinert, radio operator.
Source & photo:
http://www.bezg.ch/img/publikation/12_1/01_12_BEZG_cornioley.pdf
Probable cause:
Navigation error on part of the crew.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B-61-DL Invader in North Korea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1952 at 0601 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-34542
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Busan East - Busan East
MSN:
27821
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a night reconnaissance mission over North Korea, the crew made his last radio contact at 0601LT. The aircraft disappeared in unknown circumstances and no trace of it nor the crew was found.
Crew:
1st Lt Howard J. Davies,
1st Lt Warren M. Hoff,
A3C Norman W. Peterson,
1st Lt Robert C. Steele.

Crash of a Convair B-36F-10-CF Peacemaker in Carswell AFB

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
50-1067
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
175
YOM:
1950
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the left main gear partially failed. A fuel leak occurred on the left side of the airplane that slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. While all occupants were able to evacuate safely, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left main gear on landing.