1944 – June 20, USAAF B-24J low on gas, lost at sea heading for Jacksonville FL –all 10
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-2-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–10 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V2, July 1943-July 1944, p. 831.
Narrative Information
Mireles: “At an unknown time after 2142 EWT, a Consolidated B-24J disappeared and was presumed to have crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off of the east coast of the United States. The crew of ten was missing and presumed lost at sea. The Accident Classification Committee stated,
B-24J, 42-50534, departed Charleston Army Air Field [South Carolina] at 1556 [EWT] on a routine 1,000 mile over-water navigation flight from Charleston to West Palm Beach [Florida] (Direct 10,000) to Nassau [New Providence, Bahamas] (Direct 13,000) to Charleston (Direct 8,000). Estimated time en route was to be 8 hours with 10 hours of gasoline aboard. Daytona Beach was alternate airport…..Flight progressed normally with few slight errors in position reports until 2015. This last position report was accurate and indicated no trouble with the airplane, weather or navigation. At 2120 an urgent message was received, ‘Heading for Daytona Beach. Low on gas.’ At 2142 an urgent message was received, ‘Heading for Jacksonville.’ No position reports were received on above contacts and no further contacts were made. At 2202, all ground stations started continuous efforts to contact [the airplane].” Investigators noted that the airplane had been serviced with 1,375 gallons of gasoline, adding up to a total of 2,300 gallons at the time of take-off.” (Mireles 2006, Vol. 2, July 1943-July 1944, p. 831.)
Sources
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.