Country
United States of America
Operator Image

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-1-CO Liberator near RAF Watton: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-23703
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
498
YOM:
1942
Location:
Watton AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training exercise when the airplane broke up in midair and crashed 5 km southwest of RAF Watton. All eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Bill McCoy, pilot,
1st Lt Robert D. Hook, navigator,
2nd Lt John C. Brown, bombardier,
M/Sgt Allen D. Smith, crew chief,
S/Sgt David W. Johnston Jr., radio operator.
Passengers:
Sgt Kenneth C. Sivertsen,
Cpl Albert H. Berg,
Cpl Walter Binienda.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-35-CO Liberator near Chaparral: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-40139
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Biggs - Biggs
MSN:
1216
YOM:
1943
Location:
Chaparral
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Biggs AAF on a local training exercise. En route, the engine n°3 propeller governor failed. As the pilot encountered control difficulties, the crew was instructed to bail out. Six crew members parachuted to safety then the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near Chaparral, some 24 km north of Biggs AAF. The pilot and the navigator, still on board, were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Oscar Lee Cantrell Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt John Nelson Gessinger, navigator.
Probable cause:
Failure of the propeller governor on the engine n°3.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-60-BO Flying Fortress in Hutchinson: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943 at 0435 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-29568
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Orlando - Kearney
MSN:
4682
YOM:
1942
Location:
Hutchinson
Kansas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Following a navigational training exercise, the airplane departed Orlando in the evening of February 18 to return to base at Kearney, Nebraska. En route, weather conditions were poor and over Kansas, while low on fuel, the crew decided to divert to Smoky Hill AFB, Salina. Due to limited visibility, the crew failed to realize he was approaching Hutchinson Airport which is located 90 km south southwest of Salina. In a zero visibility approach, the airplane impacted the ground and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
1st Lt Ned D. Knaphus , pilot,
2nd Lt Bruce S. Upson, copilot,
T/Sgt Earl C. Woollenweber, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Carl T. Miller, navigator,
T/Sgt Bernard Budimirovich, radio operator,
2nd Lt Raymond L. Zeiter Jr., bombardier,
S/Sgt Walter E. Bybee, air gunner,
S/Sgt Max W. McArthur, air gunner,
Pvt James A. Farrell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Martin B-26B-3 Marauder near Sumter

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
41-17950
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Sumter
South Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed 13 km northeast of Sumter. There were no fatalities.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed B-34 Lexington at Grenier AFB

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
AJ201
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4339
YOM:
1942
Location:
Manchester
New Hampshire
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed while taking off from Grenier AFB and destroyed. There were no fatalities.

Crash of a Grumman OA-9 Goose in the Caquetá River

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Grumman G-21A Goose
Operator:
Registration:
42-106980
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1156
YOM:
1942
Location:
Caquetá River
All Colombia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered technical problems in flight and crashed in the Caquetá River. There were no fatalities.
Crew:
2nd Lt William S. Briggs, pilot.
Probable cause:
Unknown mechanical failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas B-18 Bolo in Willemstad

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
36-291
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1679
YOM:
1936
Location:
Willemstad-Hato
Dutch Antilles
Country:
Dutch Antilles
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to make an emergency landing near Willemstad-Hato Airport. There were no fatalities.
Crew:
Irvin M. Parsons, pilot.

Crash of a North American B-25C-10 Mitchell into the Caribbean Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
42-32247
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
94-12655
YOM:
1942
Location:
Caribbean Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere into the Caribbean Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
1st Lt Francis X. Tehan, pilot +3.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-45-BO Flying Fortress at Biggs AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5326
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3865
YOM:
1942
Location:
Biggs AAF (El Paso)
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed for unknown reasons while taking off from Biggs AFB. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-7 Navigator near Monroe

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft AT-7 Navigator
Operator:
Registration:
41-21078
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1093
YOM:
1941
Location:
Monroe
Louisiana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a fuel exhaustion in flight, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing some 50 km northwest of Monroe. There were no fatalities.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.
Subscribe to United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947)