United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Thurleigh on an operation to the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory at Bremen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the vicinity of Bremen-Neuenland Airport. Three crew members were killed and seven others became PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Craig J. Harwood, pilot, †
Gerry Clymer, copilot,
Lou Enloe, flight engineer,
Harry Whiteman, navigator,
Bob Robel, radio operator,
Frank Wolinski, bombardier,
S/Sgt William S. Buchanan, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Joseph E. Collette, air gunner, †
Clint Collins, air gunner,
Ray Eriksen, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-65-BO Flying Fortress in Visbek

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 1318 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-29643

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Thurleigh - Thurleigh

MSN:

4757

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Thurleigh on an operation to the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory at Bremen. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Visbek, 43 km southwest of Bremen. All 10 crew members parachuted to safety and became PoW.
Crew:
Bob Miller, pilot,
John Teare, copilot,
Jack Shaaber, navigator,
Jim Shelley, bombardier,
Ed Small, flight engineer,
Joe Spiro, radio operator,
Bill Phillips, air gunner,
Jesse Wade, air gunner,
Edwin Truscott,air gunner,
Milton Williams, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-10-BO Flying Fortress in Hassel: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 1318 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

41-24459

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bassingbourn - Bassingbourn

MSN:

3144

YOM:

1942

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Bassingbourn on an operation to the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory at Bremen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Hassel, 41 km southeast of Bremen. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt John W. Wilson, pilot, †
2nd Lt Art Bushnell, copilot,
Sgt Norman Thompson, flight engineer,
Sgt Bob Barton, navigator,
Sgt Harry Romm, bombardier,
Sgt Howard A. Earney, radio operator,
S/Sgt Robert H. Ade, air gunner,†
S/Sgt Gilbert F. Andrews, air gunner,†
S/Sgt Walter Bohaczyk, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Clifford E. Cadle, air gunner.†

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-65-BO Flying Fortress in Stotel: 5 klilled

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 1308 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-29658

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Thurleigh - Thurleigh

MSN:

4772

YOM:

1942

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Thurleigh on an operation to the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory at Bremen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Stotel, 10 km south of Bremerhaven. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
Frank Watson, pilot,
Bob Kemp, copilot,
Roy Livington, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Calvin O. Bjornsgaard, navigator, †
T/Sgt Wilbur R. Giraud, radio operator, †
Bob Hansen, bombardier,
Sgt Reed M. Bottomley, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Lawrence E. Davis, air gunner, †
George Kormish, air gunner,
S/Sgt Arthur J. Sanders, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-60-BO Flying Fortress in Fiebing: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 1305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-29574

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bassingbourn - Bassingbourn

MSN:

4688

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Bassingbourn on an operation to the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory at Bremen. After leaving the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Fiebing, 31 km east of Emden. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Nick Stoffel, pilot,
Cpt Bob Foster, copilot,
Edson Saylor, flight engineer,
John Segrest, navigator,
T/Sgt Harold L. Langhofer, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Everet A. Coppage, bombardier, †
John Townsend, air gunner,
Sgt Matthew C. Medina, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Carl H. Quist, air gunner, †
Sgt Douglas W. Wood, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-40-BO Flying Fortress in Beckeln: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 1255 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-5172

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bassingbourn - Bassingbourn

MSN:

3711

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Bassingbourn on an operation to the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory at Bremen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Beckeln, 28 km southwest of Bremen. Both pilots were killed while eight other crew members parachuted to safety and became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Harold H. Beasley, pilot,
1st Lt Walter L. McCain Jr., copilot,
Jay Franklin, flight engineer,
Harry Sipe, navigator,
Mark Schaefer, radio operator,
Matt Michaels, bombardier,
Jim Branch, air gunner,
John Cagle, air gunner,
Ed Jediak, air gunner,
Everett Creason, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Ground accident of a Douglas C-47-DL in Kunming

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

41-19471

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

6114

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane suffered a ground accident while taxiing at Kunming-Wujiaba Airport. There were no fatalities and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas A-20 Havoc in Starke

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

AL353

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Location:

Starke

Florida

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

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Circumstances:

Crashed in Starke following a midair collision. A crew was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Albert J. Posey.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-25-DL Flying Fortress near Grindavik

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-3128

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bangor - Patterson Field

MSN:

8064

YOM:

1943

Location:

Grindavik

Southern Peninsula (Suðurnes)

Country:

Iceland

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Bangor, ME, on a flight to England with an intermediate stop at Patterson Field (Meeks Field) near Keflavik. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy snow falls. In darkness, the crew got lost and after a flight of 14 hours, the airplane ran out of fuel, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a field located north of Grindavik and was damaged beyond repair. All crew members were rescued.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-5-BO Flying Fortress off Hood Point: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

41-24425

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Port Moresby - Port Moresby

MSN:

3110

YOM:

1942

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Port Moresby-Jackson (7 Mile Drome) on a training flight with other similar airplanes. While flying in close formation over the sea, the airplane was caught by a sudden downdraft and the propellers collided with B-17F registered 41-24355, causing some damage to its tail. Following the collision, the engines caught fire then the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea off Hood Point, 48 km southeast of Port Moresby. All seven crew members were killed. The other B-17 returned to Port Moresby safely.
Crew:
Cpt Charles N. McArthur,
2nd Lt La Rue Haralson,
T/Sgt Joseph C. Whitelaw,
Sgt Robert R. Greenwood,
Sgt George N. Neuman,
Pvt William N. Phillips,
Pvt Brony C. Wysocki.

Probable cause:

In-flight collision with another airplane after being caught by a sudden downdraft.

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