1942 – Sep 11, USAAF B-24D, off course, flies into Mt. Baldy in poor weather, AZ –all 10
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 6-6-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 10 Baugher, Joseph F. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-13297 to 24339). 11-7-2011 rev.
— 10 Mireles. Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in…US, 1941-1945 (V. 1), 2006, 145.
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Consolidated B-24D-7-CO Liberator c/n 648/653. 23855 went off course in bad weather and crashed into Mt Baldy, White Mountains, AZ/NM border Sep 11, 1942. All 10 killed.” (Baugher, Joseph F. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-13297 to 24339). 11-7-2011 rev.)
Mireles: “At 0300, a Consolidated B-24D flying in poor weather collided with 11,590-foot Mt. Baldy at an elevation of 10,500 feet, 27 miles west of Alpine, Arizona, killing the crew of ten.
“The B-24 had taken off at 2037 CWT (9-1042) on a night cross-country navigation flight from Omaha, Nebraska, to Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, having made the Tucson to Omaha trip earlier in the day. The airplane failed to return to Davis-Monthan Field and was reported missing, finally being located on 9-16-42 by two CAP pilots.
“The aircraft had cut a 700-foot path through the treetops before slamming into the terrain, smashing through tall trees and exploding into flames. The area of the crash was so remote and rugged that the bodies of the dead crewmen had to be taken down the mountain by pack animals.
“Investigators noted that the aircraft was 30 miles off of its intended course for Tucson. Investigators could not determine why the aircraft was off course and heading to the northwest, away from its intended destination. No evidence of structural or mechanical failure was found and all four engines were determined to be operating at the time of impact….” (Mireles 2006, 145)
Sources
Baugher, Joseph F. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-13297 to 24339). Nov 7, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_3.html
Mireles, Anthony J. Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 1: Introduction, January 1941 – June 1943). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.