1945 – Feb 9, USAAF B-24D Liberator crash into side of mountain near Denio, OR — 11
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/ Last edit 12-13-2023.
–11 AP. “11 Army Fliers Killed in Crash.” The Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. 2-13-1945, p. 1.
–11 Aviation Safety Network. USAAF Consolidated B-24D Liberator crash 5M NW Denio OR.
–11 Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-39758 to 42-50026). 5-18-2011 rev.
–11 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, 1037.
Narrative Information
Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945 (B-24 9Feb45, Denio OR):
“Date: Friday 9 February 1945
“Type: Consolidated B-24D Liberator
“Owner/operator: United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
“Registration: 42-40427
….
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11
….
“Location: 5M NW Denio, OR – USA….”
Baugher: “Consolidated B-24D-55-CO Liberator….40427 (212th CCTS) crashed into side of mountain near Denio, Oregon Feb 9, 1945. All 11 crew killed.” (Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-39758 to 42-50026). 5-18-2011 revision.)
Mireles: “At 2200 MWT, a Consolidated B-24D crashed five miles northwest of Denio, Oregon, killing 11 crewmembers. The airplane took off at 1744 MWT from Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, on a navigation training flight to Hamilton Field, San Rafael, California, and return. The airplane successfully navigated to Hamilton Field and was flying on the leg back to Gowen Field. The airplane was observed flying to the northeast, safely clearing a ridge-line. The airplane flew in a normal manner for a short distance and then began a 180-degree turn, coming back over the previous line of flight. The airplane approached the ridgeline at a lower altitude and the pilot had to pull up abruptly to avoid a collision with terrain. The airplane cleared the mountain but stalled and fell off on the other side of the ridge. The pilot was unable to regain control of the airplane and it slammed into a “rocky shelf” at an elevation of 7,500 feet msl, exploding into flames upon impact….” (Mireles 2006, p. 1037.)
Newspaper
Feb 10, AP: “Boise, Feb. 10 (AP) – The Gowen army airfield public relations office said Saturday night a plane which crashed about 10 miles north of the town of Denio, Oregon, near the Nevada border has been identified as one based here. The number of the ship was obtained by a civilian ground party which relayed it to army officials in the area. Gowen said there is no information on whether the crew members survived, but added hope was held that some at least had landed by parachute. The ship was a Liberator bomber. The public relations office said army ground crews were not expected to reach the scene until early Sunday. The plane was on a combat training flight and was listed as missing Friday night. Earlier two Gowen search planes circled the wreckage. First work of the crash came in a phone call from an unidentified person at Denio.” (Assoc. Press. “Oregon-Nevada Line Plane Crash Scene.” The Ogden Standard Examiner, UT. 2-11-1945, p. 1.)
Feb 13, AP: “Reno, Nev. Feb. 13. (AP) – Eleven army fliers lost their lives as a heavy bomber (B24) crashed at Denio, Oreg., near the Nevada border Saturday, Sheriff Erl Prout of Humboldt County said Tuesday. The plane was from Gowen field at Boise.
“Mrs. William Keinhart, who lives about six miles from Denio, on the Nevada side, told Prout she saw the plane circling a mountain about 3 a.m. Saturday. Distress flares were being dropped from the big ship. A few minutes later, she said she saw the plane crash and explode. Several ranchers and their cowhands rode up the mountainside through two feet of snow to reach the wreckage.” (APssociated Press. “11 Army Fliers Killed in Crash.” The Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. 2-13-1945, p. 1.
Sources
Associated Press. “11 Army Fliers Killed in Crash.” The Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. 2-13-1945, p. 1. Accessed 12-13-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/idaho-falls-post-register-feb-13-1945-p-1/
Associated Press. “Oregon-Nevada Line Plane Crash Scene.” The Ogden Standard Examiner, UT. 2-11-1945, p. 1. Accessed 12-13-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/ogden-standard-examiner-feb-11-1945-p-1/
Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 26. USAAF Consolidated B-24D Liberator crash 5M NW Denio OR. 9 February 1945. Accessed 12-13-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/100393
Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-39758 to 42-50026). 5-18-2011 revision. Accessed 10-19-2011 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_2a.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.