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Crash of a Douglas A-20B-DL Havoc in Great Falls

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
41-3646
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
5976
YOM:
1941
Location:
Great Falls
Montana
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 in unknown circumstances. There were no fatalities.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-35-BO Flying Fortress near Musselshell: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5123
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Great Falls - Ainsworth Field
MSN:
3662
YOM:
1942
Location:
Musselshell
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Great Falls on a flight to Ainsworth Field, Nebraska. En route, weather conditions worsened with clouds and icing. While flying over Melstone, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent. In a relative flat attitude, it crashed on the slope of Mt Bull located south of Mussellshell. It slid along the ground passing between two pine trees which ripped off the wings and came to rest, bursting into flames. The airplane was destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.
Crew (2nd BG):
1st Lt Edward Thomas Layfield, pilot,
2nd Lt Gerald K. Beem, copilot,
S/Sgt Frederick T. Brown, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Regis J. Newland, navigator,
S/Sgt Hulon B. Dutton, radio operator,
2nd Lt Chester A. Knight Jr., bombardier,
T/Sgt Wallace H. Hanson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Charles T. Valys, air gunner,
Cpl Fred E. Murray, air gunner,
Cpl Hobart L. Hall, air gunner.
Passengers:
Maj Orville A. Ralston,
Pfc Jacob V. Reiss.
Probable cause:
Examination of the wreckage from another B-17 showed that elevator fabric had torn loose from the supporting metal trailing edge structure. Boeing accident investigators concluded that separation of the fabric from the elevator was caused by a new attachment method. Unlike hand lacing where the needles passed between fabric threads, the pronged clips caused small tears in the fabric which escalated into attachment separation under pressure. An engineering fix had been designed and instituted on production models and follow-on Army Technical Orders were issued for retrofits on in-service aircraft. This plane had not been modified.

Crash of a Ford 4 in Billings: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1942 at 0811 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ford 4
Operator:
Atlantic Airmotive
Registration:
NC6892
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4-AT-028
YOM:
1928
Location:
Billings-Logan
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Billings-Logan Airport, while in initial climb, the three engine airplane stalled and crashed nearby the runway. The airplane was destroyed and both crew members were killed. They were supposed to deliver the airplane to US Army Engineer Corps.
Probable cause:
Excessive accumulation of ice on airframe, wings and elevators caused the aircraft to stall after rotation.

Crash of a Douglas A-20B Havoc near Shelby: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
41-3060
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
5390
YOM:
1941
Location:
Shelby
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 16 km north of Shelby. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Robert Gustafson, pilot.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-269 in Miles City: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1942 at 1151 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC21714
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chicago – Minneapolis – Fargo – Bismarck – Miles City – Butte – Spokane – Seattle
MSN:
2129
YOM:
1939
Flight number:
NW001
Location:
Miles City
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
13899
Captain / Total hours on type:
2273.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
437
Copilot / Total hours on type:
77
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Miles City Airport, the crew was unable to stop the aircraft within the landing distance available. The aircraft overran, rolled for several metres and eventually collided with construction equipment, bursting into flames. Both pilots and a passenger were killed while 11 other occupants escaped with various injuries. Delivered to Northwest Airlines in June 1939, the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Upon the basis of all of the evidence available to the Board at this time, CAB find that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the captain to complete the landing run in the time to avoid the obstruction at the end of the runway, for reasons undetermined, and his action in attempting to take off after striking the obstruction.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Fort Benton

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1941 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
6059
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Claresholm – Manyberries
Location:
Fort Benton
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
102
Captain / Total hours on type:
50.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
99
Copilot / Total hours on type:
44
Aircraft flight hours:
895
Circumstances:
The crew departed Claresholm Airport on a navigation exercise to Manyberries, southeast Alberta. On the return leg, the crew got lost. As the airplane ran out of fuel at dusk over hilly country, the crew abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed near Fort Benton, Montana. Both crew members were slightly injured.
Crew:
LAC J. D. Warbritton, pilot,
LAC T. D. Kelley, pilot.
Probable cause:
The crew became lost due to incorrect methods of pilot navigation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 14H Super Electra in Miles City: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1939 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 14 Super Electra
Operator:
Registration:
NC17389
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chicago – Minneapolis – Fargo – Bismarck – Miles City – Butte – Spokane – Seattle
MSN:
1408
YOM:
1938
Flight number:
NW001
Location:
Miles City
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
11800
Captain / Total hours on type:
600.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4400
Copilot / Total hours on type:
600
Circumstances:
The aircraft started the take-off to the northwest at 2114LT, leaving the ground at a point approximating the intersection of the two field run rays, and crossed the field boundary in a normal climb. After reaching an estimated altitude of 500 feet, the aircraft began a slow turn to the left, thick is the usual procedure in contacting the west leg of the Miles City radio range for the purpose of continuing flight to Billings, Montana. Shortly after starting the turn, the aircraft was seen to lose altitude rapidly and descend almost to the ground before the descent was checked, and the aircraft pulled up in a sharp climb to an altitude approximating that previously attained. Immediately thereafter, the aircraft turned sharply to the loft and descended rapidly, striking the ground in a ravine and headed in a southeasterly direction with its left tang and nose slightly down. The aircraft traveled for a distance of approximately 280 feet from the point of first contact with the ground, scattering fragments along its path, and came to rest on rising terrain, where it was entirely destroyed by fire at a point 2650 feet distant from the west boundary of the Miles City airport, and 1200 feet south of a projection of north boundary of the airport. The crash resulted in the death of all person aboard the aircraft.
Crew:
C. B. Chamberlain, pilot,
R. B. Norby, copilot.
Probable cause:
Although the exact origin and source of the fire is undermined, the condition and location of the emergency-control-box cover, ‘then found, indicates the possibility of Lire at a point of leakage in the cross-feed-fuel system beta is the immediate vicinity of the cross-feed valve, and that such fire could have entered the cockpit prior to crash, through or around the box containing the emergency controls. It was concluded that the probable cause of the accident was a fire in the pilot’s control cabin, resulting in loss of control of the aircraft. Improper location and installation of that portion of the aircraft’s cress-feed fuel system which passed through the fuselage was considered as a contributory factor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Ford 5 in Big Prairie

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
NC435H
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
5-AT-102
YOM:
1932
Location:
Big Prairie
Montana
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 pilot Dick Johnson was forced to attempt an emergency landing somewhere near Big Prairie. Upon landing, the three engine airplane impacted trees, causing the left wing to be torn off. The occupants were injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed 14H Super Electra in Billings: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1938 at 0256 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 14 Super Electra
Operator:
Registration:
NC17383
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Seattle – Spokane – Helena – Billings – Fargo
MSN:
1402
YOM:
1938
Flight number:
NW004
Location:
Billings-Logan
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
11500
Circumstances:
Following a night takeoff from Billings Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed past the runway end. A passenger was killed while all nine other occupants were injured.
Crew:
Walter R. Bullock, pilot,
Lester H. Doan, copilot.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Investigating Board that the probable caused of this accident was a stall at low altitude, following take-off, from which the pilot was unable to recover, due to lack of emergency power.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 14H Electra in Bridger Canyon: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1938 at 1507 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 14 Super Electra
Operator:
Registration:
NC17388
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Seattle – Spokane – Butte – Billings – Chicago
MSN:
1407
YOM:
1937
Flight number:
NW002
Location:
Bozeman
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
10000
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet in good weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, entered a dive and crashed on a wooded hill located some 22 km northeast of Bozeman. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Nick B. Mamer, pilot,
Frederick W. West, Jr., copilot.
Passengers:
T. Anderson,
I. E. Stevenson,
G. A. Anderson,
L. Levin,
Walter Ton,
A. Croonquist,
Douglas McKay,
W. E. Borgenheimer.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Investigating Board that the probable cause of this accident was a structural failure of the upper vertical fins and rudders due to flutter which resulted in a loss of control of the aircraft.
Final Report:
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