1950 – Apr 21, off-course USAF C54 flies into Mt. Hirugatake at night ~Atsugi, Japan–all 35
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard, 8-27-2023, for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–35 AP. “Air Force Plane Crashes in Japan…35 Aboard.” Moberly Monitor-Index, MO, 4-22-1950, p.3.
–35 AP. “All Aboard Plane Killed in Crash.” The Iola Register, KS, 4-24-1950, p. 2.
–35 AP. “Wreckage of Missing C-54 Sighted in Japan.” Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, 4-23-1950, p1.
–35 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 46-47.
Narrative Information
Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 46-47:
“Date: 21 April 1950 (c.23:25)
“Location: Near Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan
“Operator: US Air Force
“Aircraft type: Douglas C-54D (42-72704)
“All 35 persons aboard perished, including an eight-member crew of Air Force personnel, when the transport crashed and burned on Mount Tanzawa. The accident occurred about 20 miles (30km) south-west of Tachikawa Asir Base located on the western outskirts of Tokyo, where the aircraft was to have landed during a scheduled service originating from Clark Air Base in the Philippines; with en-route stops on Okinawa and O-shima Island. After he reported being over the O-shima radio range station, the pilot was cleared to proceed towards Tokyo and descend to 5,000ft (1,500m), and the C-54 was at approximately that altitude when it initially struck trees while on a north-easterly heading. It was dark at the time, with intermittent rain and stratiform clouds obscuring the mountains. Light to moderate turbulence within the clouds had been reported.
“Despite the pilot’s position report of being over the radio range station, the aircraft was actually some 25 miles (40km) south-west of the navigational aid. Minutes before the crash, a radar facility other than the one responsible for its immediate control had observed it to have been to the left of the prescribed course and proceeding in an almost due northerly direction towards the high terrain. However, a subsequent transmission from the Tokyo control center instructing 42-72704 to reverse its course and climb came too late. The cause of the apparent navigational error, if known, was not released by Air Force authorities.”
Newspaper
April 22, AP: “Toya, Japan, April 22 – (AP) – A big U.S. Air Force transport crashed last night with 35 persons, including one of General MacArthur’s key officials. Presumably it was down in this rain-swept mountain country southwest of Tokyo.
“A wet fog settled thickly tonight shrouding from searchers the fate of the 27 passengers and eight crewmen. A daylong air and ground hunt failed to spot the four-engined C-54 which was flying to Japan from the Philippines. Bad weather forced six search planes and two helicopters to earth this afternoon. Ground searchers kept slogging over the designated search area of 14 miles square that ranges upward into the Tanzawa mountains.
“Frank E. Pickelle, Chicago, head of MacArthur’s foreign trade division, was one of the passengers. With three other occupation workers he was returning from a trade conference at Manila. They were James Torrens, Washington; Bernard Adams, New York, and Mrs. Teresa Krossner (home town unavailable).
“The search centered around one of Japan’s most famed beauty spots – the mountains behind the beach town of Odawarai, 52 miles southwest of Tokyo on Sagami Bay.
“The plane, assigned to the 21st troop carrier squadron in the Philippines, was enroute to Tachikawa Air Base. The base is 20 miles west of Tokyo.
“First reports to Air Force headquarters said the plane crashed about eight miles inland from Odawara. The Air Force said this indicated the plane was off course. It should have crossed toe coast northeast of Odawara.”
April 23, AP: “Tokyo, Sunday – (AP) – Wreckage of a missing air force C-54 transport plane was found Sunday scattered over the south slope of nearby Hirugatake mountain There was no sign of life among the 35 Americans aboard. A brief army announcement said the wreckage – identified by a number on the plane – was spotted at 12:20 p.m., Tokyo time. It said a helicopter was hovering over the scene, directing ground rescue squads to the spot. The mountain is about 35 miles southwest of Tokyo….
“The plane was flying to Japan from the Philippines when it ran into a storm Saturday night. The four engined C-54, en route from the Philippines to Tachikawa airfield near Tokyo, made its last radio report at 11:08 p.m. Friday as it was preparing to cross the coast. It reported rain and rising gusts of wind.
“Scene of the crash was in the rugged Tanzawa mountains, about 35 miles southwest of Tokyo and about 15 miles southeast of the airfield….
“Pickelle [Frank E.]…became general MacArthur’s foreign trade expert after the occupation began…The army said others in his party included James G. Torrens, 43, occupation trade area coordinator, former of Boston; Barnard W. Adams, 40, chief of the occupation trade procedures branch, formerly of Underwood, N.D.; and Mrs. Teresa Tonole Krossner, 45, deputy chief of the trade arrangements branch…F. J. Scarr, 56, of the occupation’s G-1 management, organization and manning section, former of New York and Marietta, Ga.; and Franklin I. Rash, 53, of the occupation’s G-4 planning and policy division” (Associated Press. “Wreckage of Missing C-54 Sighted in Japan. No Signs of Life Among the 35 American Aboard.” The Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, 4-23-1950, p. 1.)
April 24, AP: “Tokyo (AP) – A 23-man graves registration team late Monday arrived at the wreckage of a U.S. air force transport plane in which 35 Americans were killed Friday night on Mt. Hirugatake. They planned to identify and bring down the bodies, probably Tuesday [Apr 25]…
“There were no survivors. The dead included…Capt. John C. Jones, chief of staff of U.S. naval forces in the Philippines.
“The Douglas Skymaster C-54 plowed into a massive shoulder of the 4,800-foot mountain, 37 miles southwest of Tokyo, during a wind and rainstorm….Wreckage was strewn across a blackened bald spot on a shaggy slope just below the peak. One army photographer return without air pictures because, he said, ‘there was nothing to take.’
—-
“Manila (AP) – Lt. Col. Heinz Kuraner of Leavenworth, Kas., his wife, son and daughter, and Lt. Paul J. Berry of Topeka, Kas., pilot were among the 35 Americans killed in the crash of an air force transport plane in Japan Friday night. Kuraner, 43, a medical officer, was born in Leavenworth…His wife and two children – Robert, 14, and Martha, 16 – were residents of Kansas City from 1943 to 1946 while Kuraner was with the army in Europe. Berry, 30, is survived by his wife and 2-month-old daughter, who are living in Topeka. He had never seen the daughter, Linda Ann. He was from Hornell, N.Y.” (AP. “All Aboard Plane Killed in Crash.” The Iola Register, KS, 4-24-1950, p. 2.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Air Force Plane Crashes in Japan With 35 Aboard.” Moberly Monitor-Index and Democrat, MO, 4-22-1950, p. 3. Accessed 8-27-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/moberly-monitor-index-apr-22-1950-p-3/
Associated Press. “All Aboard Plane Killed in Crash.” The Iola Register, KS, 4-24-1950, p. 2. Accessed 8-27-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/iola-register-apr-24-1950-p-2/
Associated Press. “Wreckage of Missing C-54 Sighted in Japan. No Signs of Life Among the 35 American Aboard.” The Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, 4-23-1950, p. 1. Accessed 8-27-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/dubuque-telegraph-herald-apr-23-1950-p-1/
Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.