1952 — Nov 12, US Navy Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer 45-9923 Crash, Shelton, WA –all 11

–11 Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Washington.
–11 AP. “11 Believed Dead in Shelton Plane Crash.” Daily Chronicle, Centralia WA, 11-13-1952,1
–11 AP. “Bodies of Men Are Recovered.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA. 11-15-1952, p. 1.
–11 Aviation Safety Network. USN Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer crash 10M NW Shelton WA.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: 12-Nov-1952
“Time: 18:23
“Type: Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer
“Owner/operator: United States Navy (USN)
“Registration: 59923
….
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11
“Other fatalities: 0
….
“Location: 10 mi NW of Shelton, WA…
….
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: NAS Sand Point, Seattle, WA/VP-772
“Destination airport:
“Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial
sources.
“Narrative: Crashed into a hill side at Olympic Peninsula.
(Aviation Safety Network. USN Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer crash 10M NW Shelton WA.)

Newspapers

Nov 13, AP: “Shelton (AP) – A four-engine navy plane with 11 men aboard crashed and burned on a hillside on the rugged, heavily timbered Olympic peninsula Wednesday night. A farm family’s report of seeing flares about three hours after the first mushrooming flames signaled the wilderness disaster raised a slim hope that someone may have survived. Navy officials said the plane carried signal flares, but they expressed doubt that the reported flares were sent up by any survivor of the crash.

“In the face of heavy night rain and early morning fog, searchers tried by land and air to find the crashed plane. But in mid-morning Thursday fog and snow in the crash area northwest of Shelton grounded search planes and helicopters. Ground parties numbering 100 men were in the area, and 50 Army men from Fort Lewis prepared to join the search.

“A night-long search was carried on with planes dropping flares and turning spotlights on the rugged terrain to aid loggers, state patrolmen and military personnel in their ground search. An elaborate radio setup coordinated air and ground operations.

“Reports of the flaming crash of the low-flying Privateer from the Sand Point Naval Air Station at Seattle led to a belief overnight that no one could have survived….” (Associated Press. “11 Believed Dead in Shelton Plane Crash.” The Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis, WA, 11-13-1952, p. 1.)

Nov 14, AP: “Shelton (AP) – A search to locate searchers was started Friday morning after a 16-hour period of silence from rescue teams reported to have located the wreckage of a Navy plane.

“The four-engine Privateer crashed and burned with 11 men aboard in a heavily wooded area of virgin timber in the Olympic mountain area 15 miles northwest of here.

“When word was brought out that two search parties had found the wreckage and recovered four bodies, a third party was dispatched to the scene with communications equipment. That was late Thursday.

“None of the three parties reported to the base camp at the end of the Skokomish Valley road throughout the night. Rain and snow were whipped through the timbered mountainous area by a heavy wind. Friday morning a fourth party was sent to try and locate the other three. An estimated 50 men were in the first three parties. Eight men were in the fourth, including three Simpson Logging Company employees and five Navy men….” (Associated Press. “Search for Searchers Follows Plane Crash.” The Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis, WA, 11-14-1952, p. 1.)

Nov 15, AP: “Shelton, Wash. (AP) – Searchers have recovered bodies of all 11 men killed in the crash of a Navy four-engine bomber into an Olympic Peninsula hillside near here Wednesday. The Navy reported this Saturday as ground parties started the difficult task of taking the bodies to the nearest road over five miles of rugged country covered by dense woods and cut by deep ravines.

“A three-member Navy board of investigation reached the crash scene late Friday.

“The Navy Privateer plane took off from Sand Point Naval Air Station at 6:11 p.m. Wednesday on a training flight. It crashed a half-hour later.” (Associated Press. “Bodies of Men Are Recovered.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA. 11-15-1952, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “11 Believed Dead in Shelton Plane Crash.” The Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis, WA, 11-13-1952, p. 1. Accessed 6-4-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/centralia-daily-chronicle-nov-13-1952-p-1/

Associated Press. “Search for Searchers Follows Plane Crash.” The Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis, WA, 11-14-1952, p. 1. Accessed 5-4-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/centralia-daily-chronicle-nov-14-1952-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. US Navy Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer crash 10M NW Shelton WA, 12 Nov 1952. Accessed 8-4-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/82484