1945 – Aug 9, USAAF B-24 loses No. 1 engine power, crash ~Buckingham Field, Ft. Myers, FL– 11
Last edit Nov 30, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–11 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, 1153.
Narrative Information
Mireles: “At 1255 EWT, a Consolidated TB-24D crashed two miles southwest of Buckingham Field, Fort Myers, Florida, killing 11 fliers and seriously injuring student gunner Pvt. Wayne Rush. The airplane had taken off from Buckingham Field on a routine splash gunnery mission. Investigators stated,
At 1240, Buckingham Tower received a message from the TB-24D, stating that number-one engine was out and aircraft was returning to the field. Tower acknowledged and instructed a southwest landing direction. Upon reaching the field, pilot again inquired about landing direction and was again informed of a southwest landing. Aircraft entered the pattern on the downwind leg and radioed in a call that he was turning on the base leg. The pilot did not make an overhead entry into the traffic pattern. Tower noticed aircraft making a turn on the approach for a west landing. Aircraft had made a poor pattern and seemed to be mixed up as to proper landing runway. The plane had to [S-turn] back to the west runway due to overshooting. All witnesses and personnel in the tower noticed the aircraft in a very steep approach and [S- turning] back to the runway. Aircraft hit the runway approximately two-thirds of the way down, bounced about 20 feet in the air and contacted the runway again 40 yards further down. Witnesses stated that the aircraft seemed under poor control. Power was applied to the three engines and aircraft immediately started a very steep climb. Soon after the application of power, wheels commenced retracting. There was not any indication of flaps retracted to 20 degrees. The aircraft reached a height of approximately 250 feet. Pilot witnesses stated that the aircraft was in a skidding attitude towards the left. Upon reaching a position 250 feet [agl] and a mile and a half southwest of the west runway the aircraft was observed falling off on the left wing and crashing into the ground. Flames immediately broke out.” (Quoted in Mireles 2006, 1153.)
Newspaper
Aug 10, AP: Buckingham Field, Fla., Aug. 10. – Ten Army men were killed and two injured when a B-24 Liberator bomber crashed 2 miles southwest of Fort Myers yesterday. No other information about the accident was released when it was announced here late last night.” (Associated Press. “Ten Army Flyers Killed, 2 Hurt in Florida Crash.” The Evening Star, Washington, DC. 8-10-1945, p. B1.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Ten Army Flyers Killed, 2 Hurt in Florida Crash.” The Evening Star, Washington, DC. 8-10-1945, p. B1. Accessed 11-30-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/washington-dc-washington-evening-star-aug-10-1945-p-13/
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.