United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947)

En route to RAF Greenham Common, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. While cruising in low visibility at a height of 600 feet, the aircraft impacted the top of a hill and crash near Lewes, some 3 miles northeast of Brighton. A passengers and four crew members were rescued while 24 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the ceiling was low with a maximum horizontal visibility estimated at 800 metres. In addition, the wind was blowing from the south at an estimated speed of 15 knots.
Crew:
1st Lt Donald Q . Reid, pilot,
T/Sgt Walter J. James, navigator,
Sgt Bryce D. Hacking,
Sgt Orazio R. Toglia,
Cpl Eric Ackerman.
Passengers:
Sgt Joseph H. Alba, †
2nd Lt Russell W. Barron, †
Sgt Barbato C. Dandrea, †
Cpl Charles W. Evanick, †
1st Lt Roy L. Gritz, †
S/Sgt Arthur M. Hackett, †
Sgt Walter J. Hansen, †
Sgt Jake E. Hesser, †
Sgt William Hickson Jr., †
S/Sgt James H. Holley Jr., †
S/Sgt Donald S. Horstick, †
Cpl Richard M. Jones, †
Cpl Paul A. Kokko, †
Pvt Roland P. Lariviere, †
1st Lt Stanley E. Lis, †
Sgt Sherman W. Miller, †
Sgt Harold F. Mills, †
Pvt Frank R. Mixner, †
Pfc Byron G. Peacock, †
Sgt Felix R. Sobkowiak, †
Sgt Glenn F. Tremaine, †
T/Sgt Howard F. White, †
T/Sgt John H. Young. †

Crashed on take off. Crew fate unknown.

Crash landed for unknown reason. No casualties.

Shortly after take off, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field. Both pilots were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces. It appears the crew was engaged in a circular night training mission and just after rotation, the crew encountered undetermined technical problems with the undercarriage. Probably distracted by this event, pilots did not realize that the power lever moved rearward, away from their takeoff position.

En route to Long Beach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was instructed to divert to Albuquerque. Shortly later, strong vertical wind and snow falls forced the crew to reduce his altitude in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground. The aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed 5 miles south of Placitas. SAR arrived on site three days later and five men seriously injured were evacuated while all seven other occupants were killed.

Crashed in unknown circumstances.

En route, the C-47 collided with a Brazilian Air Force Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. Out of control, the C-47 dove into the ground and was destroyed on impact. All three crew members were killed. The fate of the Thunderbolt remains unknown. Apparently, the collision occurred when the pilot was blinded by the sun while performing an air to air photography mission.

The four engine bomber was returning to its base in Foggia following a bombing mission over a tank complex located in Linz, Austria. While flying over the Alps in poor weather conditions, the crew encountered technical problems with two engines and was able to send a mayday message at 1042LT. Two crew members bailed out before the aircraft crashed in a mountainous region located near Kleinsölk, some 80 km southeast of Salzburg. While both 'jumpers' were found alive, no trace of the aircraft was found and all search operations were suspended after few days. Sixty years later, in 2004, the wreckage was eventually found. At the time of the accident, the weather conditions were bad with strong winds as well.
Crew (301st BG):
2nd Lt Albert H. Mitchko, pilot, †
1st Lt Philip M. Bullock, copilot, †
2nd Lt Harry P. Hillhouse, navigator,
Sgt Roy T. Patterson, flight engineer,
1st Lt Benjamin L. Cantwell, radio navigator, †
2nd Lt William W. Flood, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Robert G. Haglund, radio operator, †
S/Sgt Mark E. Imlay, air gunner, †
Sgt William J. O'Brien, air gunner, †
Sgt Thomas J. Spagnolo, air gunner. †
Source & photos: http://www.kleinsoelk.at/aircrash.htm

Shortly after take off from runway 25 at Casper Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located 3 miles northwest of the airfield. All eleven occupants were killed.

Bound for Reims Airbase, in France, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the North Sea. No trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was ever found.