1945 — July 14, USAAF B-29 crash after takeoff, sandstorm? ~Kirtland Fld., Albuquerque NM–13

Last edit Dec 1, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–13  Albuquerque Journal. “13 Kirtland Field Men Are Killed in Plane Crash.” 7-15-1945, p. 1.

–13  Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, 1134.

Narrative Information

 

Mireles: “At 1630 MWT, a Boeing B-29 crashed just after take-off from Kirtland. Field, Albuquerque, New Mexico, killing 13 fliers and seriously injuring B-29 instructor ILL John P Shaw. The B-29 was scheduled to fly a routine instru­ment navigation flight to Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, and return. The airplane made a normal take­off and began to climb away. Tower personnel observed that the starboard landing gear had remained in the down position after the nose wheel and port landing gear re­tracted. They alerted the pilot and he acknowledged. Tower personnel observed the airplane with binoculars until it disappeared into a sand storm that was approach­ing the area several miles distant. Minutes later the tower was alerted that the airplane had crashed. Investigators speculated that the airplane lost power in one or more engines after entering the sand storm. Witnesses on the ground observed the airplane flying at very low altitude just before the crash. Investigation revealed that the airplane had collided with a tall tree before slam­ming into the ground on the port wing in a tail-low attitude about 2,300 yards further on. The starboard wing hit as the airplane smashed through several trees, the airplane striking a drainage ditch 200 feet further on. The airplane smashed into the ditch and cart-wheeled, exploding into flames as it broke up.”  (Mireles 2006, 1134.)

 

Newspaper

 

July 15: “Thirteen men were killed and one injured seven miles south of Albuquerque Saturday [14th] in the crash of a B-29 Superfortress from Kirtland Field, it was announced by Col. Frank Kurtz, commanding officer.

 

“On a routine training flight, the plane crashed at 4:30 p.m., near the Santa Fe Railroad tracks. Col Kurtz said a board of qualified Army Air Forces officers has been appointed to investigate and determine the exact cause of the accident. Spectators who went to the scene of the crash expressed amazement at the destruction, and declared the wreckage from the huge plane was strewn over an area of several city blocks, in ‘thousands of parts.’….

 

“The plane, according to these reports, was traveling south, and evidently found itself in trouble and attempted a forced landing, but was torn apart. A telephone pole was sheared off and a fence was torn up. Spectators said….

 

“The dead and persons listed as next of kin:

 

            First Lieut. Myron Seeder, 27…Easton, Pa.

Second Lieut. Wayne McKinney, 22…Newton, O.

Second Lieut. Richard Serensky, 20…San Francisco, Cal.

Second Lieut. Alfred J. Johnson, 27…Sausalito, Cal.

Second Lieut. James F. O’Brien, 20…Providence, R.I.

Flight Officer Jess Flower, 21…Albuquerque

  1. Sgt. Loren R. Kargel, 23…Chrystal, N.D.

Cpl. Robert J. Wisneski, 20…Charleroi, Pa.

Cpl. Hergert H. Boger, 20…Wynnewood, Pa.

Cpl. Martin S. Kaye, 21…Bronx, N.Y.

Cpl. Roy S. Dupree, 19…Shreveport, La.

 

“….The names of two of the men killed were withheld by Kirtland Field pending notification of relatives.” (Albuquerque Journal. “13 Kirtland Field Men Are Killed in Plane Crash.” 7-15-1945, p. 1.)

 

Sources

 

Albuquerque Journal. “13 Kirtland Field Men Are Killed in Plane Crash.” 7-15-1945, p. 1. Accessed 12-2-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albuquerque-journal-jul-15-1945-p-1/

 

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.