1945 — Mar 5, bomber/fighter collide, Kissimmee FL; C-60A crash into hangar, Dayton OH–16

lornajarrettblanchard March 5, 1945

Compiled Nov 21, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–8 USAAF bomber/fighter takeoff/landing runway collision Kissimmee Army AF, FL

–8 Pilot loses control of USAAF C-60A Lodestar on takeoff, crashes into hangar; explodes.

1^st crash: USAAF bomber and fighter collide on runway Kissimmee Army Air Field, FL–8

–8 Delphos Daily Herald, OH. “Investigating Plane Crash.” 3-6-1945, p. 1.

–8 INS. “Bomber, Fighter Planes Collide.” Tipton Daily Tribune, IN. 3-6-1945, p. 1.

Narrative

March 6, UP: “Orlando, Fla., March 6 (UP) – An Army Board of Investigators today probed collision of an army medium bomber and a fighter plane at the Kissimmee Army Flier Field, yesterday, which took eight lives. The collision occurred at the end of the runway, while one plane was taking off and the other was preparing for a landing. Among the dead was 1st Lt. William R. Haenzl, (19 N. Central Ave.) Osborne, O.” (Delphos Daily Herald, OH. “Investigating Plane Crash.” 3-6-1945, 1.)

March 6, INS: “Orlando, Fla., March 6. – (INS) – Eight persons, six army flyers and two civilians, were killed in a collision of a medium bomber and a fighter plane on the runway at the Kissimmee army air field, it was announced today. The crash occurred at 1:40 p.m. yesterday at the end of the runway as one plane was coming in for a landing and the other was taking off. Both planes were participating in a combat training mission.” (INS. “Bomber, Fighter Planes Collide.” Tipton Daily Tribune, IN. 3-6-1945, p. 1.)

2^nd crash: Pilot loses control of C-60A Lodestar on takeoff, crashes into hangar/explodes.

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p.42 (C-60A-5 Lodestar):

“Date: Monday 5 March 1945

“Type: Lockheed C-60A-5-LO-Lodestar

“Operator: United States Army Air Force – USAAF

“Registration: 42-55962

“MSN: 18-2399

“First flight: 1943

‘Crew: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3

“Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0

“Ground casualties: Fatalities: 5

….

“Location: Dayton-Wright Patterson AAF, OH – USA

….

“Phase: Takeoff (TOF)

“Nature: Military

“Departure airport: Dayton-Wright Patterson AAF – USA

“Destination airport: Dayton-Wright Patterson AAF – USA

“Narrative:

“Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-55962 was taking off from Dayton-Wright Patterson AAF, OH (FFO) on a test flight when the pilot lost control of the airplane. It crashed into a hangar, killing five workers. A fire erupted, destroying seven planes inside: Bell P-59A Airacomet 44-2609; North American P-51F Mustang 43-43333; Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 42-8009; Lockheed P-38G Lightning 42-12687; Bell XP-63A Kingcobra 42-78835; Boeing B-29B Superfortress 42-63598; Douglas C-47A-10-DL 42-23357; and Consolidated B-32 Dominator 42-10873.

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p.42 (B-29B):

“….

Narrative:

“….Written off March 5, 1945 in a ground accident at Daytom-Wright Patterson Field AAF, Dayton, Ohio. Aircraft damaged beyond repair by fire. Cause of accident was due to Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-55962, which was taking off from Dayton-Wright Patterson AAF, Dayton, Ohio on a test flight, when the pilot lost control of the airplane. It crashed into a hangar, in a huge explosion. Many explosions occurred, the hangar was destroyed as well as several aircraft, including

Bell P-59A Airacomet 44-2609;
North American P-51F Mustang 43-43333;
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 42-8009;
Lockheed P-38G Lightning 42-12687;
Bell XP-63A Kingcobra 42-78835;
Boeing B-29B Superfortress 42-63598;
Douglas C-47A-10-DL 42-23357; and
Consolidated B-32 Dominator 42-10873.

“All three crew members aboard the C-60A and five personnel in the hangar were killed in the accident. (It is not known of any – or all – were on board B-29 42-63598 at the time of the accident; hence all eight killed are listed as “other fatalities”). Those killed were:

1st Lt Elwin I. Brawner Jr.,
Pfc Eugene L. Fisher,
2nd Lt Robert E. Jackson,
Pfc John L. Ravegum,
Pvt Browder A. Richmond,
T/Sgt Russel P. Schryer,
Sgt Albert B. Weathers,
Sgt William W. Wilson.

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p.42. C-60A-5 Lodestar, 3-5-1945. Accessed 11-21-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19450305-4

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p.42 USAAF Boeing B-29B Superfortress destroyed in hangar fire caused by takeoff crash of USAAF C-60A into hangar, 3-5-1945. Accessed 11-21-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/98651

Delphos Daily Herald, OH. “Investigating Plane Crash.” 3-6-1945, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=130490201

INS. “Bomber, Fighter Planes Collide.” Tipton Daily Tribune, IN. 3-6-1945, p. 1. Accessed 11-20-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/tipton-daily-tribune-mar-06-1945-p-1/