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Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-60-CO Liberator near Westover AFB: 10 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-100024
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Westover - Westover
MSN:
3173
Location:
Westover AFB
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
On approach to Westover AFB, while completing a training mission, the aircraft was too low and hit the slope of Mt Holyoke located some 11 km north of the airbase. All ten crewmen were killed in the crash and the aircraft christened 'Line of Duty' was destroyed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Talbot M. Malcolm, pilot,
Sgt Arnold H. Anderson,
2nd Lt William M. Ashley Jr.
Sgt Wilburn H. Dechert, engineer,
2nd Lt Donald D. Dowden, navigator,
Sgt Ambrose D. Griffith,
2nd Lt John D. Logan,
Cpl Robert J. Ohr,
Cpl Kearney W. Padgett,
Cpl Ronald Charles Lloyd.

Crash of a Stinson UC-81J-ST Reliant at Westover AFB

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Stinson SR-9 Reliant
Operator:
Registration:
42-57226
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
5216
YOM:
1937
Location:
Westover AFB
Massachusetts
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 on landing. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed A-29-LO Hudson in Boston

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
41-23376
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
414-6193
YOM:
1941
Location:
Boston
Massachusetts
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 on landing for unknown reasons and damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.

Crash of a Douglas A-20C-BO Havoc in Marion: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
41-19637
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2933
YOM:
1941
Location:
Marion
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Marion, killing three crew members.
Crew:
Maj Charles Harvey Cooke,
Sgt Albert D. Reposa,
T/Sgt Donald T. Robinson.

Crash of a Martin B-26B-1 Marauder in Chatham

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
41-17782
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Chatham
Massachusetts
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:
Due to a fuel exhaustion, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Chatham. The airplane crash landed and was damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas BD-2 Havoc at Squantum NAS

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
7042
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Squantum - Squantum
MSN:
5112
YOM:
1941
Location:
Squantum NAS
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Squantum NAS, while climbing, a hydraulic failure prevented the undercarriage retraction. The crew decided to return and completed a safe landing. After touchdown, the brakes system failed and the crew was unable to stop the airplane within the remaining distance. The airplane overran and crashed into the sea. While all three occupants were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the hydraulic system.

Crash of a Waco UC-72E in Falmouth

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Waco UC-72
Operator:
Registration:
42-88633
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
4563
YOM:
1942
Location:
Falmouth
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane stalled and crashed in Falmouth. The pilot, sole on board, was rescued.
Crew:
William J. Bell, pilot.

Crash of a Douglas C-53-DO Skytrooper near Peru: 16 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1942 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-6463
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Fayetteville - Hempstead Plains – Providence
MSN:
4915
YOM:
1942
Location:
Peru
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Fayetteville-Pope AFB to Providence, Rhode Island, with an intermediate stop at Hemsptead Plains-Mitchell Field, Long Island, NY. On board were four crew members and 15 paratroopers. En route to Rhode Island, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with fog. Due to low visibility, the crew lost his orientation and the airplane went off the prescribed flight route and drifted to the north. At an altitude of 2,200 feet, the airplane collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area located on the Garnett Peak, some 1,6 km east of Peru. All four crew members and 12 paratroopers were killed. Three others survived but were severely wounded.
Those killed were:
Crew:
2nd Lt Joseph J. Fields Jr.,
S/Sgt Robert W. Lamon,
S/Sgt Charles M. Scott III,
Cpl Austin W. Weeces.
Passengers:
Hyman B. Flinkman,
Sam B. Hathorn,
John H. Kelley,
Frank A. Lastosky,
Joseph C. Neurohr,
Jack E. Palmer,
Gardner W. Plain,
Stanley L. Racine,
Norman Sands,
Steve L. Schollin,
James I. Thompson,
James D. Westbrooks.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Boeing B-17B Flying Fortress in North Reading: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1942 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
39-008
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Gander - Warminster
MSN:
2040
YOM:
1939
Location:
North Reading
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Gander Airport to be transferred to the Johnsonville Naval Air Development Center located in Warminster, about 30 km north of Philadelphia, to be retrofitted with the latest armament. Flying over North Reading, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and apparently attempted an emergency landing when the airplane collided with the chimney of a house and crashed in a dense wooded area. The airplane was totally destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to foggy conditions.
Crew:
1st Lt Marion R. Klyce, pilot,
1st Lt Don H. Johnson Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Orville D. Andrews, navigator,
1st Lt James Phillips Jr., bombardier,
S/Sgt William E. Perkins, flight engineer,
Pfc Sidney S. Koltun, assistant flight engineer,
Cpl Stephen Bilocur, radio operator,
Cpl Charles H. Torrence, assistant radio operator.
Passengers:
S/Sgt Robert J. Aulsbury,
T/Sgt Archie R. Jester Jr.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a phenomenon called ‘flutter’ that may have caused one of the airplane’s wings to fall off on its descent. Further supporting this theory was the fact that an undamaged wing was found a significant distance away from the wreckage.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Lakeview

Date & Time: May 29, 1942
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
40-2284
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
62B-2953
YOM:
1940
Location:
Lakeview
Massachusetts
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:
For unknown reasons, the crew bailed out and abandoned the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in Lakeview. There were no casualties.
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