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

En route, the crew informed ATC about the poor weather conditions and that he was about to bail out. No further contact was heard and the aircraft crashed some 30 miles north of Leizhou. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87CF Liberator Express near Alingsås: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1944 at 0030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

Operator:

Registration:

NC18618

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Leuchars – Stockholm

MSN:

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft was bearing the civil registration NC18618 but was in fact registered 43-30619. This was some sort of secret operation. It seems that the plane was a part of Operation Carpetbagger, which was a special program to deliver supplies to resistance groups in enemy-occupied countries, to deliver personnel to the field, and occasionally to bring back personnel from the field. It is believed that this plane was being used to fly back to the UK Norwegian aircrew trainees and American internees from Sweden. En route to Stockholm-Bromma and while flying over Sweden, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility due to fog. The group of five airplanes decided to divert to Göteborg Airport when flying at an altitude of some 300 feet, the four engine aircraft hit a hill located near Alingsås, some 50 km northeast of Göteborg. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Truett K. Bullock, pilot,
1st Lt Paul R. Buchanan,
T/Sgt Donald J. Johnston, radio operator,
Cpt Colin T. Campbell, navigator,
Cpt Earl K. North,
T/Sgt Oakley J. Ragland, radio operator.
Source & photo:
http://www.forcedlandingcollection.se/USAAF/USAAF139-441020-C87.html
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1943_2.html

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Hsinching

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-107299

Flight Type:

Military

MSN:

26986

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-70-DL near Ledo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100704

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Schedule:

Myitkyina – Ledo

MSN:

19167

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while descending to Ledo Airport. No trace of the aircraft nor the three crew members was found.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-20-CF Liberator near Birkenhead: 24 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1944 at 1540 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

42-50347

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Greencastle - Tibenham

MSN:

778

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with heavy rain falls and turbulence. The four engine bomber exploded in mid-air and dove into the ground before crashing in a field in a huge explosion. All 24 occupants were killed.
Crew:
William Driscoll,
Harold W. Olsen,
J. P. Hennessy,
Roy W. Sechler,
Reginald H. Gehman.
Passengers:
Vincent P. Hamilton,
William F. Price,
Richard M. Blake,
Edward F. Brick,
George J. Leary,
Roland F. Mosher,
Stephen J. Nagy,
Clesen H. Tenney,
Loran A. Umpleby,
Ralph G. Wills,
Robert E. Boyd,
James E. Patterson,
Robert L. Marshall,
Flyod K. Relyea,
Joseph L. Arrigotti,
Albert Engasser,
Frederick L. Mootz,
George S. Moss,
Clarence K. Smith.

Probable cause:

At the time of the accident, the cloud base was at 1,000 feet with an estimated horizontal visibility up to 7 miles. Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the explosion that cause the in flight disintegration of the aircraft. Furthermore, the assumption that the aircraft would have suffered a structural failure was not ruled out. Finally, investigations have been able to determine that no mechanical failure and no fire occurred prior to the final impact.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster in Bodmin Moor

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

42-72249

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lajes - Saint Mawgan

MSN:

10354

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

While approaching St Mawgan (Newquay) Airport, weather conditions deteriorated and due to the failure of the radio compass, the crew was unable to land and decided to continue to Exeter. Few minutes later, following a wrong altimeter setting, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a hill and came to rest in flames near Bodmin Moor. All nine occupants were injured while the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Radio compass failure, poor weather conditions, low visibility and wrong altimeter setting on part of the crew contributed to a collision with terrain.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando in Natal

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

43-46997

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed on take off from Natal-Parnamirim Airport. Occupant fate unknown.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Lüliang

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-107307

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26994

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the crew encountered unknown technical problems and completed an belly emergency landing. There was no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Unknown technical problem.