1945 — Feb 14, USAAF B-24 approach crash in adverse weather, 12M NE Gander AP, Nfld.–10

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/  Last edit 12-17-2023.

–10  ASN. USAAF B-24 landing approach crash 12M NE of Gander Airport, NL, Can., 2-14-45.

–10  Tibbo, Frank. WWII. “The Home Pond B-24.” Gander Airport Historical Society.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 29:

“Date:                          Wednesday 14 February 1945

“Type:                         Consolidated B-24M Liberator

“Owner/Operator:       United States Army Air Force (USAAF)

“Registration:              44-42169

…

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10

….

“Location:                   12 miles NE of Gander Airport, NL – Canada

“Phase:                        Approach

“Nature:                       Military

….

“Narrative:                  Crashed. The entire crew perished in the crash.”

Baugher: “….Consolidated B-24M-20-CO Liberator….42169 crashed Feb 14, 1944 12 mi NE of Gander, Newfoundland during ferry flight. MACR 12013. All onboard killed.”

Tibbo: “A B-24M crashed between Home Pond and Indian Bay Pond… The B-24M, belonging to the United States Army Air Force, number 44-42169, whose destination was Gander crashed on February 14, 1945. The wreckage was found 25 km northeast of Gander by a fellow who was checking his rabbit slips. The official reports call him a local Newfoundland trapper.

“The weather was a major reason for the crash as indicated in the report: ‘Col. Dolan’s aircraft, missing since approximately 0200 GMT, when it was attempting an instrument approach to this field despite warnings to turn back because of existing weather conditions, was discovered in exploded fragments about 15 miles northeast of the station.’

“As usual the Americans and Canadians put everything in the air as soon as weather permitted. Nothing was found on the first day, or the second. One week passed – nothing. Another week – the same thing. The planes belonging to the United States Army Air Force kept searching despite the fact that the winter conditions precluded the hope that anyone would be found alive.

“The following is from the accident report:

A trapper was told of the probable aircraft catastrophe by the villagers. Having seen what appeared to be a portion of a parachute shroud in a tree during his hunting trip, returned to the area with his dog team the following day and came upon wreckage of the airplane strewn for hundreds of feet through trees and deep snow. His attempt to make his way to Gander to notify military authorities failed when his team of huskies gave out from fatigue acquired during the previous 18 days on the trail. However, the woodsman managed to reach the village of Benton where he contacted the station agent, Mike Hogan. Hogan wired the RCAF at Gander and the Canadian authorities in turn notified the Commanding Officer of the 1387th AAF base unit on 16 March, 1945….

….” (Tibbo, Frank. WWII. “The Home Pond B-24.” Gander Airport Historical Society.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 29. USAAF B-24 landing approach crash 12M NE of Gander Airport, NL – Canada, 2-14-1945. Accessed 12-17-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/101541

Baugher, Joseph F. 1944 USAAF Serial Numbers (44-40049 to 44-70254). 10-9-2023 revision. Accessed 12-17-2023 at: https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html

Tibbo, Frank. WWII. “The Home Pond B-24.” Gander Airport Historical Society. Accessed 12-17-2023 at: http://www.ganderairporthistoricalsociety.org/_html_war/Home.Pond.B24.htm