1955 — Feb 17, USN P2V Neptune flies into Mt. Susitna ~35 mls NW Elmendorf AFB, AK–11

–11 AP. “Navy Bomber Hunted Near Anchorage.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. 2-18-55, 1.
–11 BAAA. “Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune near Elmendorf AFB: 11 killed.”
–11 United Press. “Air Force Recovering Crash Dead.” Victoria Advocate, TX. 2-21-1955, p. 1.
— 9 Aviation Safety Network. USN Neptune flies into mountain ~35 mls from Anchorage AK.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: Thursday 17 February 1955
“Type: Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune
“Operator: United States Navy
“Registration: 128399
“MSN: 426-5245
….
“Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
“Passengers: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
“Total: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9
….
“Location 55.6 km (34.8 miles NW of Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK
“Phase: En route (ENR)
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Kodiak NAS, AK
“Destination airport: Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK
“Narrative: A Lockheed Neptune of the U.S. Navy impacted a mountainside, killing all aboard.
The aircraft departed Kodiak at 16:31 and was expected to arrive at Elmendorf Air Force Base two hours later. Last contact with the flight was at 18:22.

Bureau of Aviation Accidents Archives:
“Date & Time: Feb 17, 1955
“Type of aircraft: Lockheed P-2 Neptune
“Operator: US Navy
“Registration: 128399
“Flight Phase: Landing (descent or approach)
“Flight Type: Training
“Survivors: No
“Site: Mountains
“Schedule: Elmendorf – Elmendorf
“MSN: 426-5245
“Location: Elmendorf-Richardson AFB, Alaska
….
“Crew on board: 11
“Pax on board: 0
“Total fatalities: 11
“Circumstances: The crew was returning to Elmendorf AFB following a training mission. While descending to the altitude of 2,000 feet, the airplane hit the slope of a mountain located 28 miles northwest of Elmendorf Airbase. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 11 crew members were killed. For undetermined reason, the crew started the approach to Elmendorf prematurely, causing the aircraft to hit the mountain.”

Newspapers

Feb 18, AP: “Anchorage, Feb. 18, (AP) – A navy patrol bomber with 11 men aboard vanished near here last night on a training flight from Kodiak, and no trace of it was found today by a fleet of 42 search planes. The air force said the navy P-2-V5 Neptune normally carries a crew of seven. There was no immediate identification of the crew or of the others aboard.

“The twin-engined Neptune was due at Elmendorf air force base here at 6:01 p.m. yesterday, but was behind schedule when it last made radio contact with the field at 6:22 p.m. It then was over the Anchorage radio range, and gave no indication it was in trouble.

“Searchers Sent Out. An amphibia plane and helicopter were sent out soon afterward and searched for the missing bomber until 11 p.m. when heavy overcast forced them back. The aerial search today brought out 31 planes from here and 11 from the Kodiak naval air station, where the missing Neptune was based.” (Associated Press. “Navy Bomber Hunted Near Anchorage.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. 2-18-1955, p.1.)

Feb 20, UP: “Anchorage, Alaska (U.P.) – An Air Force search plane late Saturday sighted the wreckage of a Navy Neptune bomber on 4,300-foot Mount Susitna, 36 miles northwest of here. The public information officer at Elmendorf Air Force Base said there was no sign of survivors around the wreckage presumed to be that of a Neptune which disappeared on a flight from Kodiak to here Thursday evening.” (United Press. “Navy Bomber Spotted Wrecked on Peak.” Independent-Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. 2-20-29545, A-6.)

Feb 20, UP: “Anchorage, Alaska, Feb. 20 – UP – The Air Force Sunday began efforts to recover the bodies of 11 men who were killed when their Navy Neptune patrol bomber crashed on ‘jinxed’ Mt. Susitna. The wreckage was found late Saturday on the 4,300 foot mountain where six planes have crashed in recent years. Mt. Susitna is 46 miles northwest of here, near the approach path for Anchorage-bound aircraft.

“An Air Force helicopter carried two paramedics to the scene Saturday night. They radioed that there were no survivors….Nine crewmen and two passengers were aboard.” (United Press. “Air Force Recovering Crash Dead.” Victoria Advocate, TX. 2-21-1955, p. 1.)

Sources

Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Alaska, 1950-1959. Accessed 3/3/2009 at: http://www.baaa-acro.com/Pays/Etats-Unis/Alaska-1950-1959.htm

Associated Press. “Navy Bomber Hunted Near Anchorage.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. 2-18-1955, p.1. Accessed 4-13-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/fairbanks-daily-news-miner-feb-18-1955-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. US Navy P2V-5 Neptune flies into mountain ~35 mls from Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK, 17 Feb 1955. Accessed 4-12-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19550217-0

Bureau of Aviation Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune near Elmendorf AFB: 11 killed.” Accessed 4-12-2023 at: https://www.baaa-acro.com/aircraft/lockheed-p-2-neptune?page=10

United Press. “Air Force Recovering Crash Dead.” Victoria Advocate, TX. 2-21-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-13-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/victoria-advocate-feb-21-1955-p-1/

United Press. “Navy Bomber Spotted Wrecked on Peak.” Independent-Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. 2-20-29545, A-6. Accessed 4-13-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com