1943 — Oct 25, two USAAF B-24Hs collide in formation trng. flight near Milligan, NE– 17
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-20-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 17 Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-001 to 42-30031). 10-28-2011 rev.
— 17 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V2, July 1943-July 1944, p. 562.
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Ford B-24H-1-FO Liberator…7657 in midair collision with 42-7673 near Milligan, Nebraska Oct 25, 1943. Death total was 17 from the two bombers; one crewman thrown clear and managed to open his chute and survived.” (Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-001 to 42-30031). 10-28-2011 revision.)
Mireles: “At 1605 CWT, two Consolidated B-24H type airplanes collided in mid-air and crashed two miles north of Milligan, Nebraska, killing 17 crewmembers and injuring one…. Investigators stated,
“A flight of four B-24 type aircraft [that had taken off from Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska, on a formation training flight] were flying a normal diamond formation at 20,000 feet indicated altitude [on top of a 4,000-foot cloud layer situated between 3,000-7,000 feet altitude]. The number-two ship, ship #42-7657, had dropped back and out of formation. The pilot of the number-four ship, ship #42-7673, decided to close up to the number-two position. When he did so it is believed that he did not know the exact position of the former number-two ship. Shortly after the new number-two ship, ship #42-7653, had assumed [the] new position, [the collision occurred]. It is not known what parts of the aircraft concerned collided, but it is believed that the tail section of aircraft #42-7673 was damaged [in the collision]. This ship did a [diving] half-roll to the right and then the left wing came off, it went into a spin and crashed. The other ship [42-7657] … that had previously fallen out of position…apparently was held under control until it had reached a fairly low altitude (approximately 1,500 feet) at which point it went into a spin and crashed. The co-pilot of aircraft #42-7673 was thrown out of his ship and parachuted to safety. It is normal procedure for the number-four ship to replace the number-two ship automatically if the latter falls out of formation”. (Mireles 2006, Vol. 2, July 1943-July 1944, p. 562.)
Sources
Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-001 to 42-30031). Oct 28 2011 revision. Accessed 12-9-2011 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_1.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.