1945 – April 24, USAAF B-29A engine fire and crash, Gulf of Mexico, off Key West, FL–11

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/  Last edit 12-8-2023.

–11  Baugher, Joe. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-91974 to 42-110188). 8-7-2023 revision.

–11  Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, p.1085.

–10  Aviation Safety Network. USAAF Boeing BV-29A Superfortress, Gulf of Mexico, 4-24-1945.

            [In the narrative it is stated that one body was recovered and “The other ten B-29 crew

            members were never found.” That would be 11 deaths.]

 

Narrative Information

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Network, Database, 1945, p. 75 (USAAF 42-93922):

“Date:                          Tuesday 14 April 1945

“Time:                         098:10 LT [local time]

“Type:                         Boeing B-29A Superfortress

“Owner/operator:        326th CCTS BU USAAF

“Registration:              42-93922

“MSN:                         7329

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 13

….

“Location:                   Gulf of Mexico, 100 miles southwest of Key West, Florida – USA

“Phase:                        En route

“Nature:                      Military

“Departure airport:      MacDill AFB, Tampa Florida

“Destination airport:   Borinquen Field AAF, Puerto Rico

“Narrative:

 

“….On April 24, 1945 the aircraft was scheduled for a routine cross country navigational training flight from MacDill Field, Florida west to a point over the Gulf of Mexico, then east to Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico. Aboard was the normal crew of eleven plus a Pilot Instructor and a Radio Instructor.

 

“The clouds en-route were forecast to be 5/10 cumulus. They departed MacDill heading west. At 10,000 feet, a slight oil leak was observed in the #3 engine; the propeller on that engine ran away, the oil leak became more noticeable, and smoke was reported from the engine. Attempts to feather the propeller failed and the engine erupted in flames.

 

“With 4000 gallons of aviation fuel in the wing tank the fire was very serious. Both fire extinguishers were used without any effect. A minute later the crew was ordered to bail out. But no one acknowledged from the rear of the plane. The pilot brought the plane down to 7,300 feet and the crew began to bail out.

 

“Apparently the five men in the rear compartment of the plane never heard the “Bail out” order or could not escape and remained aboard the plane when it crashed into the Gulf. The wreckage of the plane was never located. Two survivors plus one body from the B-29 were taken to Key West Naval Hospital. The other ten B-29 crew members were never found.

 

“Crew of B-29 #42-93922 (Partial List):

 

Radar Operator 2nd Lt. James V. Reams – MIA later KIA
Central Ring Control (turret gunner) Sgt. Thomas P. Pruffitt – MIA later KIA
Armorer/Gunner Cpl. Bob L. Smith – MIA later KIA
Electrical mechanic-gunner Sgt. Louis T. Kapusta – MIA later KIA
Tail Gunner Cpl. James C. Spears – MIA later KIA
Navigator, 2nd Lt William L. Jiler – survived
Radio Operator, Corporal William L. Phillips – KIA, body recovered
Pilot, 2nd Lt. Daniel R. Ahern – MIA later KIA
Engineer, S/Sgt. Erwin W. Beck – MIA later KIA
Bombardier, 2nd Lt. John H. Mathews – survived
Cecil Clause McKinney – instructor pilot – MIA later KIA.”

 

Baugher: “….93922.  Delivered to USAAF 2Feb45. Assigned to Combat Crew Training Squadron, 326th Army Air Force Base Unit, MacDill AAF, FL. On April 24, 1945 the aircraft was scheduled for a routine cross country navigational training flight from MacDill Field, Florida west to a point over the Gulf of Mexico, then east to Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico. Aboard was the normal crew of eleven plus a Pilot Instructor and a Rdio Instructor. The clouds en-route were forecast to be 5/10 cumulus. They departed MacDill heading west. At 10,000’ a slight oil leak was observed in the #3 engine; the propeller on that engine ran away, the oil leak became more noticeable, and smoke was reported from the engine. Attempts to feather the propeller failed and the engine erupted in flames. With 4000 gallons of aviation fuel in the wing tank the fire was very serious. Both fire extinguishers were used without any effect. A minute later the crew was ordered to bail out. But no one acknowledged from the rear of the plane. The pilot brought the plane down to 7300 feet and the crew began to bail out. Apparently the five men in the rear compartment of the plane never heard the ‘Bail out’ order or could not escape and remained aboard the plane when it crashed into the Gulf. The wreckage of the plane was never located. Two survivors plus one body from the B-29 were taken to Key West Naval Hospital. The other ten B-29 crew members were never found.”

 

Mireles: “At 0909 EWT, a Boeing B-29A suffering an engine fire was abandoned and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico about 100 miles southwest of Key West, Florida, killing 11 crewmembers.

 

“Bombardier 2Lt. John H. Matthews and navigator 2Lt. William L. Jiler parachuted into the sea and were rescued the next day. The airplane had taken off at 0753 EWT from MacDill Field, Tampa, Florida, on a navigation flight to Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, and return. Investigators stated,

 

At 0845, 10,000 feet, the right scanner reported a slight oil-leak in the number-three engine. The pilot ordered the en­gineer and scanner to maintain a close watch on that engine. At 0906, the number-three propeller ran away and reached 3,900 rpm. Simultaneously the scanner reported a bad oil leak and smoke from the number-three engine. It appears that the pilot put the nose down and was attempting to feather. The RPM was only brought down to 3,100 rpm and the command to “Prepare to bail out” was given by co-pilot on in­terphone at 0908 followed by a report from scanner that number-three engine was on fire. Both fire extinguishers were applied without results. The “Bail out” order was given at 0909 on interphone. Bomb bay tanks [were] salvoed and wheels put down at 7,300 feet. Airspeed was observed to be 240 indicated. Meanwhile the navigator gave coordinates to radio operator right after ‘Prepare to bail out’ order. Radio had been giv­ing trouble and it is doubted if transmission was effected even though key was operated. Bail out started at 7,300 feet when instructor radio operator bailed out followed by the radio operator, navigator and engineer. These went out the bomb bay. The co-pilot meanwhile went out the nose wheel well. The bombardier helped put on the pilot’s parachute and bailed out. The nav­igator saw four parachutes in the air besides his and the bombardier saw five besides his own. The bombardier and radio operator effected contact in the water but drifted apart. The radio operator’s body was recovered. The bombardier and navigator … suffering only minor sunburn … were rescued the following day.”  (Quoted in Mireles 2006, 1085.)

 

Sources

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Network, Database, 1945, p. 75. USAAF Boeing BV-29A Superfortress, Gulf of Mexico 100M SW of Key West, FL, 4-24-1945. Accessed 12-8-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/98606

 

Baugher, Joe. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-91974 to 42-110188). 8-7-2023 revision. Accessed 12-8-2023 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_5.html

 

Mireles, Anthony J.  Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 3:  August 1944 – December 1945). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.