1942 — Oct 1, USAAF C-39 transport plane crash 15M NW of Caomo, Puerto Rico –all 22
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 6-3-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 22 Baugher, Joseph F. 1938-1939 USAAS Serial Numbers. March 5, 2011 revision.
— 22 Edwardsville Intelligencer (IL). “Chronology of the Year 1942,” Dec 31, 1942, p. 8.
— 22 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, pp. 21-22.
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Douglas C-39….524 [bureau number]…delivered Aug 2, 1939. To 20 Tpt [transport] Sqdn Dec 2, 1941. Struck hill near Caomo, Puerto Rico Oct 1, 1942. 22 killed.” (Baugher, Joseph F. 1938-1039 USAAS Serial Numbers. March 5, 2011 revision.)
Gero: “Date: 1 October 1942 (c.09:30)
“Location: Puerto Rico
“Operator: US Army Air Forces
“Aircraft type: Douglas C-39 (38-524)
“The twin-engine transport crashed and burned in a mountainous region 15 miles (25km) northwest of Caomo, while on an intra-island flight to the capital city of San Juan from Losey Field. All 22 persons aboard lost their lives, including three civilians; the rest of the passengers and the crew of five were American military personnel. Witnesses observed the aircraft making a wide right, descending turn from a north-easterly on to a south-easterly heading when over a small valley, then disappear into low overcast, its engines ‘popping’, or running roughly. Shortly thereafter, the C-39 slammed into a hill at high speed, about 200ft (60m) below the crest, and while flying on a heading of 150 degrees. Its throttles were found jammed in the closed position. The cloud layer in the area was some 4,000ft (1,200m) thick and extended to the tops of the hills. No information as to the probable or possible causes of the crash were released by military authorities.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, pp. 21-22.)
Sources
Baugher, Joseph F. 1938-1939 USAAS Serial Numbers. March 5, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1938.html
Edwardsville Intelligencer, IL. “Chronology of the Year 1942,” Dec 31, 1942, p. 8. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=1665978
Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.