1944 — July 19, USAAF  B-24J #42-51617 Breaks-up/Crashes 5M N of Touchet, WA —   12

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-31-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—  12  Associated Press. “Crash Kills 12.” Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, IA. 7-20-1944, p. 1.

—  12  Bureau of Aircraft Accident Archives. “Crash…B-24J…Near Touched: 12 Killed.”

—  12  Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V2, July 1943-July 1944, p. 860.

Narrative Information

Bureau of Aircraft Accident Archives:

“Date & Time:                         Jul 19, 1944 at 1200 LT

“Type of aircraft:        Consolidated B-24 Liberator

“Operator:                   USAAF

“Registration:              42-51617

“Flight Phase:              Flight

“Flight Type:               Training

“Survivors:                  No

“Site:                           Plain, Valley

“Schedule:                   Walla Walla – Walla Walla

“MSN:                         3148

“Location:                   Touchet, Washington

….

“Crew of Board:         12

“Crew fatalities:          12

….

“Circumstances:          The aircraft left Walla Walla Airport for a training exercise. En route, the

aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Touchet. All 12 occupants were killed.

“Probable cause:         The loss of control was apparently caused by a structural failure in flight.”

Mireles: “At 1025, a Consolidated B-24J [42-52617] broke up in flight and crashed five miles north of Touchet, Washington, killing 12 crew and passengers. The airplane was the lead airplane of a flight of six B-24s that had taken off from Walla-Walla Army Air Field, Washington, on a high-altitude formation flight and bombing mission. When the flight arrived at the AAF Bombing Range, the bombing mis­sion was cancelled because of poor visibility and over­cast conditions. The flight leader elected to climb the formation up through the overcast to continue with the high-altitude formation mission. A short time later, a pilot flying in the vicinity reported that he observed pieces of a large airplane falling out of the overcast. The airplane broke into several large pieces and hun­dreds of smaller pieces. Wreckage was scattered over an area of five miles long and two miles wide. No crew members were able to parachute to safety.”  (Mireless 2006, p. 860.)

Newspaper

July 20, AP: “Walla Walla, Wash. – (AP) – A Liberator bomber from Walla Walla army air field crashed Wednesday near Touchet, 17 miles west of here, killing all 12 crewmen, Col. David Wade, commanding officer of the base, announced Thursday. Witnesses said the plane exploded in the air.” (Associated Press. “Crash Kills 12.” Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, IA. 7-20-1944, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Crash Kills 12.” Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, IA. 7-20-1944, p. 1. Accessed 3-31-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/burlington-hawk-eye-gazette-jul-20-1944-p-17/

Bureau of Aircraft Accident Archives. “Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-10-FO Liberator Near Touched: 12 Killed.” Accessed 3-31-2024 at: https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-consolidated-b-24j-10-fo-liberator-near-touchet-12-killed

Mireles, Anthony J.  Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 2:  July 1943 – July 1944).  Jefferson, NC:  McFarland and Co., 2006.