1945 — April 1, USAAF B-29 engine fire and crash, 6 miles NE of  Alamogordo, NM–  12

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/  Last edit 12-10-2023.

–12  AP. “12 Army Flyers Killed…Alamogordo…Plane Crashes.” Albuquerque Journal, NM, 4-3-1945, p3.

–12  Aviation Safety Network. USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress crash near Alamogordo AAF

–12  Baugher, Joseph. 1944 USAAF Serial Numbers (44-40049 to 44-70254. 10-92023 revision.

–12  Gallup Independent, NM. “Twelve Die in Plane Crash.” 4-2-1945, p. 1.

–12  Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, 1069.

Narrative Information

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 60 (44-69697):

“Date:                          Sunday 1 April 1945

“Type:                         Boeing B-29 Superfortress

“Owner/operator:        231th CCTS BU USAAF

“Registration:              44-69697

“MSN:                         10529

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 12 [Mireles writes that two parachuted safely.]

….

“Location:                   8 miles NE of Alamagodo AAF, New Mexico – USA

‘Phase:                         En route

“Nature:                      Military

“Departure airport:      Alamogordo AAF, Alamogordo, NM

“Destination airport:   Alamogordo AAF

“Narrative:

 

“crashed 1 April 1945 eight miles northeast of Alamogordo AAF, New Mexico. Twelve crew killed….”

 

Baugher: “….44-69655/69704  Boeing B-29-55-BW Superfortress….Delivered to USAAF 19Dec44. Assigned to Combat Crew Training Swuadron, 231st Army Air Force Base Unit, Alamogordo AAF, NM. Crashed 1Apr45 eight miles northeast of Alamogordo AAF, NM Twelve crew were killed.”

 

Mireles: “At-2022­MWT, a Boeing B-29B suffering an in-flight fire crashed six miles northeast of Alamogordo, New Mex­ico, killing 12 fliers. Gunner Pfc. Dean F. Bittner and flight engineer 2Lt. William C. Dolton parachuted to safety, escaping injury. Gunner Pfc. John M. Macbeth fell to his death in an unsuccessful parachute jump…. Investigators stated,

 

“A B-29 took off at 1500 MWT [from Alamogordo Army Air Field] and flew a high altitude formation mission for approximately five hours. About 2000 MWT, the pilot called the tower for land­ing information and was advised to land on Runway 25 to the southwest. A short time later the pilot called in on the downwind leg and was advised to fly a pat­tern for Runway 15 to the south. Pilot acknowledged and turned left to a north heading for the downwind leg of Runway 15. Wheels were down and flaps com­ing down when a violent fire broke out in the number-four engine. The alarm bell was rung and two crew-members bailed out of the rear door. The airplane continued straight ahead in a dive and then made a right turn of approximately 180 degrees. Just before strik­ing the ground it appeared to flare out slightly and then dove in, right wing first, exploded and burned.”

 

“It was speculated that a fuel line failure caused the fire in the number-four engine nacelle. This large fire on the star­board wing caused a great loss of lift for that wing.”  (Mireles 2006, 1069.)

 

Contemporary Newspaper Article:

 

April 2: “Alamogordo, N.M., April 2 (AP) — Col. John W. Warren, commandant, announced today that 12 of the crew were killed and two parachuted safely last night when a four engine bomber crashed eight miles northeast of Alamogordo army air field.”  (Gallup Independent, NM. “Twelve Die in Plane Crash.” 4-2-1945, p. 1.)

 

April 3, AP: “Alamogordo, April 2 (AP) – Twelve crewmen were killed and two others parachuted safely in the crash of a four-engined bomber Sunday night eight miles northeast of here. Col. Joh W. Warren, commander of the Alamogordo Army air field, listed the dead as: [We list names separately.]

 

Second Lieut. George C. Jackson, Alamogordo;

Second Lieut. Neil T. Wiley, St. Paul, Minn.;

Flight Officer Richard T. Lassell, South Minneapolis, Minn.;

Second Lieut. Donald K. Kilgore, Opportunity, Wash.;

Second Lieut. Vernon A. Selph, Alamogordo;

Pfc. John M. MacBeth, Tularosa, N.M.;

Cpl. Robert D.. Kramer, Alamogordo;

Cpl. James J. Panek Jr., Alamogordo;

Pvt. Robert F. Mullin, New York City;

  1. Sgt. Howard E. Wells, Lyle, Minn.;

Sgt. William E. Stack, Detroit Mich.;

Pvt. Webb L. Eady, Helena, Ala.”

 

(Associated Press. “12 Army Flyers Killed When Alamogordo Base Bombing Plane Crashes.” Albuquerque Journal, NM, 4-3-1945, p. 3.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “12 Army Flyers Killed When Alamogordo Base Bombing Plane Crashes.” Albuquerque Journal, NM, 4-3-1945, p. 3. Accessed 12-10-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albuquerque-journal-apr-03-1945-p-3/

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 60. USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress crash near Alamogordo, AAF, 1 April 1945. Accessed 12-10-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/98485

 

Baugher, Joseph F. 1944 USAAF Serial Numbers (44-40049 to 44-70254. 10-92023 revision. Accessed 12-10-2023 at: https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html

 

Gallup Independent, NM. “Twelve Die in Plane Crash.” 4-2-1945, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=88377373&sterm=alamogordo+plane

 

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.