1945 — Oct 18, USAAF TB-24J engine fire just after takeoff, crash ~Hondo AAF, TX–all 13
Last edit Nov 27, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–13 Aviation Safety Network. USAAF B-24J Liberator, engine fire initial climb, Hondo, TX.
–13 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, 1173.
Narrative Information
Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p.124 (USAAF B-24, Hondo):
“Date and Time: Thursday 18 October 1945, 08:29
“Type: Consolidated B-24J Liberator
“Owner/operator: United States Army Air Forces (USAAF)
“Registration: 44-48865
….
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13
….
“Location: 4M NNW Hondo, TX – USA
“Phase: Initial climb
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Hondo Army Airfield, Texas
“Destination airport: return to same
“Narrative:
“Crashed. TB-24J Liberator #44-48865, with the 2523rd Base Unit, had taken off from Hondo Army Airfield for a training flight. As the plane began to climb, black smoke began pouring from the № 3 engine. Witnesses observed a blue flame coming from the bomb bay door areas. Moments later, the engine erupted in large flames. As the pilot began turning to his left, there was an explosion that blew away the bay doors. He continued to climb, than began another left turn to head south back to the airfield. As he made this banking turn, the plane plunged to the ground, left wing inverted, and exploded upon impact. The bomber crashed four miles north-northwest of the airfield, just four minutes after departure. All thirteen airmen aboard were killed:
2nd Lt. George I. Huffman, Pilot
1st Lt. Kenneth W. Appleton, Co-Pilot
Flt. Off. Milton Shapiro, Flight Engineer Instructor
2nd Lt. Joseph D. Van Cleve, Flight Engineer
2nd Lt. Daniel R. Zitkus, Flight Engineer
Sgt. John Adams, Flight Engineer
AVC Melvin R. Rowland, Student Engineer
AVC Edward F. Rudak, Student Engineer
AVC Albert E. Rudy Jr., Student Engineer
AVC Edwin Salkiewicz, Student Engineer
AVC Billy J. Schaeffer, Student Engineer
AVC Glen Schmidt, Student Engineer
AVC John P. Schreibe, Student Engineer.”
Mireles: “At 0829, a Consolidated TB-24J suffering an in-flight fire crashed three and one-half miles north of the Army Air Field at Hondo, Texas, killing 13 passengers and crew. The airplane took off from Hondo Army Air Field on Runway 35 at 0826 on an engineer-training flight. Investigators stated,
“The take-off was normal until the aircraft was approximately one-half mile beyond the north end of the runway when the number-three engine started smoking lightly and increasing to a heavy black smoke. The aircraft drifted slightly to the right of its take-off heading and continued to climb normally. About one and a half miles from the field a small fire appeared on the number-three engine, and the airplane descended slightly, then started a shallow climb still heading north. At approximately three miles north of the field, the number-three engine burst into a large fire, which came from the front of the engine, then from the cowling area. The aircraft was in a medium climbing turn to the left when the right bomb bay door was blown off by an explosion in the bomb bay. A small flame was coming from the right front bomb bay for about 30 seconds before the explosion occurred. At this time the aircraft was about 1,000 feet above the terrain. It completed a turn to a westerly heading, leveled off, then started climbing abruptly for 300 to 500 feet, leveled off again and started to turn to the left. The bank increased rapidly and the aircraft nosed down abruptly, crashing in a south-southwesterly direction, hitting on the left wing and nose simultaneously. The aircraft exploded and burned upon impact with the ground. Check of the wreckage indicated that the landing gear was extended.” (Quoted in Mireles 2006, 1173.)
Newspaper
Oct 19, UP: “Hondo, Tex., Oct. 19. – Bodies of 13 Army Air Force officers and men killed in the crash of their four-engine training plane yesterday were being forwarded today to their homes in all parts of the nation. Among those killed was Lieut. George I. Huffman of Knoxville, member of the Hondo Army Air Field football squad. He was piloting the plane when it crashed yesterday morning, shortly after taking off from the field and burned. All aboard died instantly.” (United Press. “Thirteen Killed in Army Plane Crash.” El Paso Herald-Post, TX, 10-19-1945, p. 5.)
Sources
Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p.124. USAAF Consolidated B-24J Liberator initial climb engine fire, Hondo Army Airfield, Texas, 18 October 1945. Accessed 11-27-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/101501
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.
United Press. “Thirteen Killed in Army Plane Crash.” El Paso Herald-Post, TX, 10-19-1945, p. 5. Accessed 11-27-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/el-paso-herald-post-oct-19-1945-p-21/