1948 – March 18, USAF B-29 landing crash in dense fog, MacDill Field near Tampa, FL–10

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard Sep 27, 2023 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–10  AP. “10 Dead, 4 Injured in B-29 Landing Accident at Tampa.” Panama City News-Herald, FL. 3-18-1948, p1.

–10  Aviation Safety Network. USAF B-29 crash on runway and fire, Tampa FL, 18 March 1948

–10  NFPA. “Large Loss Fires of 1948.” Quarterly of the NFPA, V42, N3, Jan 1949, p. 196.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Network, Database, 1948:

“Date:                          Thursday 18 March 1948

“Time:                         morning [2:32 a.m. according to Associated Press.]

“Type:                         Boeing B-29 Superfortress

“Owner/operator:        United States Air Force (USAF)

….

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 14

….

“Location:                   Tampa, FL – USA

“Phase:                        Unknown

“Nature:                       Military

….

“Narrative:                   Crashed on runway and caught fire . Five killed, five missing and four

survived injured.”

National Fire Protection Association: “Mar. 18…near Tampa, Florida…U.S. Air Force B-29…Aircraft crashed while landing at MacDill Field in dense fog…10 killed.” (NFPA. “Large Loss Fires of 1948.” Quarterly of the NFPA, Vol. 42, No. 3, Jan 1949, p196.)

Newspaper

March 18, AP: “Tampa – (AP) – Ten men were killed and four injured early today when a B-29 from Spokane, Wash., airbase crashed and burned on landing at MacDill Field here. The four survivors were admitted to the base hospital. Their condition was described as ‘good.’

“The bomber was coming in for a landing in a dense fog when it hit the edge of the runway at the southwest corner of the field, it was reported by Capt. George G. Byrnes, MacDill Field public information officer. The big craft hit the ground, bounced once and then crashed and burned. Wreckage was scattered over a wide area. Fog was rolling in from the bay and hugging the ground about 150 feet thick, Capt. Byrnes said. Apparently it was impossible to pick out the runway quickly.

“The plane had stopped at Maxwell Field (Montgomery, Ala.) and was arriving at Tampa from that base. It was attached to the 92nd Bomb Squadron at Spokane. The crash occurred at 2:32 a.m. ….”

(AP. “10 Dead, 4 Injured in B-29 Landing Accident at Tampa.” Panama City News-Herald, FL. 3-18-1948, p.1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “10 Dead, 4 Injured in B-29 Landing Accident at Tampa. Spokane Bomber Misses Runway In Heavy Fog.” Panama City News-Herald, FL. 3-18-48, 1. Accessed 9-27-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/panama-city-herald-mar-18-1948-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Network, Database, 1948. USAF B-29 crash on runway and fire, Tampa FL, 18 March 1948. Accessed 9-27-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/214281

National Fire Protection Association. “Large Loss Fires of 1948.” Quarterly of the NFPA, Vol. 42, No. 3, January 1949, pp. 137-197.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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