1943 — Oct 22, USAAF B-17 stalled/crashed in storm, Arkansas Riv. ~Ponca City, OK– 14
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-19-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 14 Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-30032 to 42-39757). 8-26-2011 rev.
— 14 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V2, July 1943-July 1944, p. 558.
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Boeing B-17G-5-BO Fortress….42-31190 (c/n 6304) attached to 708BS/447BG at Harvard AAB, Nebraska. On Oct 22, 1943 was destroyed when it fatally stalled and spun into the Arkansas River, near Ponca City, Oklahoma, while flying in a severe thunderstorm. Fourteen crewmembers and passengers were killed.” (Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-30032 to 42-39757). 8-26-2011 rev.)
Mireles: “At 1710, a Boeing B-17G flying in severe thunderstorms fell out of control and crashed into the Arkansas River about two miles east of Ponca City, Oklahoma, killing 14 crewmembers and passengers. The B-17 had taken off from Galveston, Texas, on a cross-country navigation flight to its station at the Army Air Base at Harvard, Nebraska. The airplane was seen dropping out of the overcast in a power-on diving spiral to the left. The ceiling was estimated to be about 700 feet agl. The pilot partially recovered the airplane, leveling it off momentarily before it apparently stalled again and fell off on the port wing into the Arkansas River, striking the water at an angle of about 30 degrees in a port wing low attitude….” (Mireles 2006, V2, p. 558.)
Sources
Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-30032 to 42-39757). Aug 26, 2011 revision. Accessed 12-14-2011 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_2.html
Mireles, Anthony J. Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 2: July 1943 – July 1944). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.