1943 — Dec 29, two USAAF B-24s Collide, Box Elder County, near Lakeside, UT — 25
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-18-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 25 Baugher, Jos F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-001 to 42-30031). 10-28-2011 revision.
— 25 Gero. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, 27.
— 25 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V2, July 1943-July 1944, p. 629.
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Ford B-24E-20-FO Liberator…7183 collided with 42-7408 near Lakeside, UT Dec 29, 1943. 12 on board 7183 killed, 12 on board 7408 killed.”
“Ford B-24E-25-FO Liberator… 7408 collided with 42-7183 near Lakeside, UT Dec 29, 1943. 13 on board 7408 killed, 12 on board 7183 killed.” (Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-001 to 42-30031). 10-28-2011 rev.)
Gero: “A cross-country formation flight by five heavy bombers ended in tragedy when two of them collided in mid-air [42-7183 & 42-7408], then crashed and burned near the western shore of the Great Salt Lake, 70 miles (110km) north-west of Salt Lake City, killing 25 American servicemen. There were no survivors from either aircraft, 12 aboard 7183 and 13 aboard 7408. The group had taken off earlier from Wendover Field, in Utah, bound for Pocatello Army Air Base, located in neighboring Idaho, and proceeded normally until a point where 7183, which was in the No. 3 position, found itself too high and too far back from the formation. In trying to get back in place, it apparently got in the ‘prop wash’ of the lead aircraft, and was blown downward on top of 7408, which had been in the No. 4 position. In the ensuing collision, which occurred above the cloud layer at an approximate height of 11,000ft (3,400m), the latter’s port wing outside of the No. 1 power plant was torn off, resulting in a loss of control, while the former was also badly damaged and went into a flat spin…. According to the official report, the accident was entirely attributable to the faulty flying technique displayed by the pilot of 7183.” (Gero 1999, 27-28)
Mireles: “At 1500 PWT, two Consolidated B-24E bombers collided in midair and crashed at Box Elder County 12 miles NNE of Hogup, Utah, killing 25 crewmembers aboard both aircraft…. Investigators stated,
“Five B- 24s took off at 1424 PWT from Wendover Field, Wendover, Utah, on an instrument clearance to Pocatello, Idaho. This was a cross-country training mission and temporary relocation of aircraft due to unfavorable weather conditions at Wendover Field. All five ships took off at different intervals and climbed through the overcast, coming out on top at 11,300 feet. All ships assembled into formation with a five to eight hundred foot clearance above the overcast. The formation proceeded on course direct to Pocatello, Idaho, and when in the vicinity of Hogup, Utah [approximately 70 miles northeast of Wendover Field, Utah], no. 3 ship on left, B- 24E 42-7183, piloted by Lt. Meyer, fell back out of position to the left rear. Upon correcting this he [moved] laterally ahead to the right, his position being over the no. 4 ship, B-24E 42-7408, piloted by instructor pilot Lt. Clark and to the rear of no. 1 ship piloted by Lt. Col. Hersberg. In this position no. 3 ship got in the propeller [turbulence] of the lead ship and settled downward and on top of no. 4 ship. Both ships were badly damaged on impact, they crashed to the ground and burned”.” (Mireles 2006, V2, p. 629.)
Sources
Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-001 to 42-30031). Oct 28 2011 revision. Accessed 12-9-2011 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_1.html
Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.
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.