1947 – Feb 4, USN R-4D-5S (DC-3), crashed during storm, off Chincoteague Island, VA–10

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard 10-16-2023 for upload to: https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–10  Aviation Safety Network. USN R4D-5S disappeared in a storm off Assateague Island, MD.

–10  AP. “Wreckage Seen May Be Missing Navy Transport.” Titusville Herald, PA. 2-6-1947, p.1.

–10  Baugher. USN and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (10317 to 21191). 7-17-2011 rev.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Network, Database, 1947:[1]

Date:                            Tuesday 4 February 1947

“Type:                         Douglas R4D-5S (DC-3)

“Operator:                   United States Navy

“Registration               17131

“MSN:                         12275

“First flight:                 1944

“Crew:                         Fatalities:  4 / Occupants:   4

“Passengers:                Fatalities:  6 / Occupants:   6

“Total:                         Fatalities: 10/ Occupants: 10

“Aircraft damage:       Missing

….

“Location:                   Off Assateague Island, ME [MD] – USA

“Departure airport:      Portsmouth AFB, NH…USA

“Destination airport:    Norfolk NAS Chambers, VA…USA

“Narrative:                   Aircraft disappeared in storm at night; four crew, six passengers on board.

Baugher: “17131 (MSN 12275) ex USAAF (42-92471. To US Navy Jan 11, 1944. VR-3 Aug44. VR-7 30Sep44. Norfolk 27Jun46. W/o Feb 4, 1947, missing off Assateague Island, VA.”

Newspaper

Feb 5, AP: “Norfolk. (AP) – A navy R4D plane carrying a crew of four and possibly two other men, which messaged weakly last night that it was lost and encountering storms, was the object of an air search in the Chesapeake bay region today [the Chesapeake Bay, within the flight path of a plane coming down from NH, would be in VA]. The lost plane, which was trying to return to the Norfolk naval air station [VA] from Portsmouth, N.H., radioed at 6:17 p.m. (EST) last night that it was heading west. The message gave the plane’s location as over Chincoteague [VA] on the eastern shore of Virginia. That would have put the plane only an hour away from Norfolk, and it presumably had enough fuel to last two hours, but nothing further was heard from it.

“The air station listed the crew as Pilot C. A. Urban, chief aviation pilot; Lt. (jg) B. W. Schofield, co-pilot; J. M. Dawdy, aviation machinist’s mate, second class, and W. R. Weeks, aviation radioman, third class. In addition, two marine guards on 72-hour leave from the Norfolk retraining command whether were aboard or remained at Portsmouth. The command did not announce their names.” (AP. “Navy Searches Chesapeake Bay For Lost Plane.” The Southwest Times, Pulaski, VA. 2-5-1947, p. 1.)

Feb 5, AP: “By The Associated Press

“Norfolk, Va., Feb. 5. – Search for a missing Navy transport plane with a crew of four and six passengers aboard turned to the Richmond area tonight on the report of an Army pilot that he had sighted wreckage of ‘A DC-3” transport in a swampy almost inaccessible area ten miles southeast of Richmond. Coast Guard headquarters here, conducting a saturation air search to the west of Chincoteague Island where the plane reported it was lost in the icy gales of last night, said the Army flier’s identification of the wreckage had not been verified but ‘we are taking it as a good lead.’ The missing ship bears the Navy classification of R4D, the equivalent of the Army’s C-47 and the commercial DC-3.

“The Army airman on a routine local flight gave the position as ten miles south-southeast, from the Richmond base which would put the wreckage in Henrico or Charles City county on the north banks of the James river [entirely within VA]. At the request of the Coast Guard the Army ordered another plane to fly over the area, but darkness precluded any protracted search and the communications tower at the Richmond base said nothing further could be done by air until morning. The general search for the missing craft will be continued, the Coast Guard said, but a helicopter will be sent to the Richmond area from the Elizabeth City, N.C., base tomorrow. The Navy plans to send a couple of ‘weasels,’ amphibious, tracked, combat vehicles, into the swampy peninsula tomorrow, the Coast Guard said.

“The area in which the plane was sighted was in the general area embraced by searching planes from the Army, Navy and Coast Guard, and it was believed by Coast Guard headquarters that it is not inconceivable the wreckage is that of the missing naval transport.” (Associated Press. “Wreckage Seen May Be Missing Navy Transport. Sighted in Swampland Ten Miles Southeast of Richmond, VA.” The Titusville Herald, PA. 2-6-1947, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Navy Searches Chesapeake Bay For Lost Plane.” The Southwest Times, Pulaski, VA. 2-5-1947, p. 1. Accessed 10-17-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/pulaski-southwest-times-feb-05-1947-p-1/

Associated Press. “Wreckage Seen May Be Missing Navy Transport. Sighted in Swampland Ten Miles Southeast of Richmond, VA.” The Titusville Herald, PA. 2-6-1947, p. 1.

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Network, Database, 1947. USN R4D-5S disappeared in a storm off Assateague Island, MD. 4 Feb 1947. Accessed 10-17-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19470204-0

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (10317 to 21191). July 17, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries2.html

[1] Sites two newspaper sources: (1) Free Lance-Star, 7 Feb 1947, p. 1. And (2) Biddeford Daily Journal, 2-5-1947.