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Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK in Les Mureaux AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-48956
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26217/14772
YOM:
1944
Location:
Les Mureaux
Yvelines
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
Cpt Robert W. Bonhard,
Cpt Donald O. Larson,
S/Sgt H. S. MacFarland Jr.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Oblong: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1945 at 2250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-100996
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lawrenceville-George - Lawrenceville-George
MSN:
19459
YOM:
1944
Location:
Oblong
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left Lawrenceville-George AAF in the evening on a night training mission with paratroopers. In flight, the crew encountered engine problems, left the formation (was taking part to an exercise with 20 other USAAF C-47) and eventually lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a field located 4 miles east of Oblong. Four crew members were killed. It is believed that the crew misinterpreted the engine problem as a runaway propeller.
Crew:
2nd Lt Alexander Cairney,
2nd Lt Monte R. Hamilton,
Pfc Clarence C. Orr 1.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Antipolo: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-15816
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
20282
YOM:
1944
Location:
Antipolo
Metro Manila
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed while taking part to a supply mission, killing all six crew members.
Crew:
Sgt David B. Browne,
F/O Jack H. Deacon,
F/O George C. Polovich,
1st Lt Thomas P. Sneckner,
S/Sgt Freeman F. Stanton,
F/O Jack Dempsey Yates.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando near Chanyi: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-96746
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
30408
YOM:
1944
Location:
Chanyi
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed following an engine failure 10 miles northwest of Chanyi, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
2nd Lt Charles R. Brumagim,
1st Lt Ray B. Delamater Jr.,
Cpl Francis J. Rourke.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando near Yunlong

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-96637
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
30299
YOM:
1944
Location:
Yunlong
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous area located 30 miles northeast of Yunlong. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-50-BW Superfortress into the Pacific Ocean: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-24842
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
North Field - North Field
MSN:
4503
YOM:
1942
Location:
Pacific Ocean
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Forty-five minutes after its departure from North Field AFB (Tinian Island), while cruising, the engine number four caught fire. The aircraft dove into the sea and exploded as it struck the water surface. Only few debris were found on site and all 12 crew members were killed.
Crew (39th Squadron):
Sgt Robert J. Beller, radio operator,
Cpl Harold M. Brown, air gunner,
1st Lt Bernard A. Casaurang, pilot,
Cpl Ralph R. Cima, radar officer,
Cpl Flavio M. Duca, air gunner,
Cpl Charles N. Gentry,
2nd Lt Edward A. Josephson, pilot,
F/O Louis T. Kestner Jr., navigator,
Cpl Joseph J. Kuebler, air gunner,
Cpl Richard V. Leland,
T/Sgt Fred B. Robbins, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Richard J. Scarisbrick, bombardier.
Probable cause:
Engine # 4 caught fire in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DL near RAF Tangmere: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1945 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-16394
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Paris-Le Bourget - Tangmere
MSN:
20860
YOM:
1944
Location:
Tangmere AFB
West Sussex
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
79
Captain / Total hours on type:
79.00
Circumstances:
While flying at a too low altitude in poor weather conditions (rain and low clouds), the aircraft hit the slope of a hill located 5 miles northeast of RAF Tangmere. All seven occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was fixed to 100 yards.
Crew (27th Air Transport Group):
1st Richard Lee Pogue, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert G. Robinson, copilot,
Cpl Jerome T. Smith, radio operator,
S/Sgt Victor C. Corson, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert S. Norris, flight engineer.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Craig C. Moore,
Sgt Carl G. Clayton.
Probable cause:
The investigation shows that the aircraft was too low while under instrument conditions to clear the hills in the area. It is believed that the pilot had let down over The Channel to a few hundred feet but did not break out and did not know that he crossed the southern coast of England.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated C-109 Liberator Express in Kunming

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
44-49025
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3880
Location:
Kunming
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Collided in flight near Kunming-Wujiaba Airport with a USAAF Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando registered 42-107328. The exact circumstances of the inflight collision remains unknown but at least two crew members were killed, 1st Lt George H. Murray in C-46 and Cpt Hobart T. Walker Jr in Liberator.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU in Kunming: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-107328
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
27014
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kunming
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Collided in flight near Kunming-Wujiaba Airport with a USAAF Consolidated C-109 Liberator Express registered 44-49025. The exact circumstances of the inflight collision remains unknown but at least two crew members were killed, 1st Lt George H. Murray in C-46 and Cpt Hobart T. Walker Jr in Liberator.
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