1942 — Apr 2, six USAAF planes crash, Helena, AR, CA, GA/2, TX and Everett, WA– 12
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 6-24-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–2 Lockheed P-38D takeoff crash into mess hall, Paine Field, Everett, WA, 6:49 a.m.
–3 Douglas DB-7B out of Savannah AB maneuvering crash, 5M S of Pearson GA, 11:30 a.m.
–1 Stearman PT-17 crash 3M N of Helena, AR, 11:35 a.m.
–2 Vultee BT-13A crash, Nichols Ranch near Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, TX, 4 p.m.
–2 Vultee BT-13A stall and spin crash, 3½M S of Planada near Merced, CA, 4:30 p.m.
–2 Curtis AT-9 right wing structural failure and crash 5M S of Leary, GA, 8:45 p.m.
— 12 Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, pp. 66-67.
Helena, AR, Plane Crash, USAAF Stearman PT-17, 11:35 a.m.
— 1 Charleston Gazette, WV. “Series of Plane Smashups Probed.” 4-4-1942, 4.
— 1 Kingsport Times, TN. “Army Student Cadet Killed in Plane Crash.” 4-3-1942, 1.
— 1 Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.
Leary, GA, USAAF Curtis AT-9 Plane Crash, 8:45 p.m.
— 2 Gastonia Daily Gazette, NC. “13 Army Fliers Killed in Four Crashes.” 4-3-1942, p. 1.
— 2 Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.
Nichols Ranch near Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, TX, USAAF Vultee BT-13A crash, 4 p.m.
— 2 Corsicana Daily Sun, TX. “Flying Officer Trained Here is Killed in Crash.” 4-3-1942, p.2.
— 2 Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.
Paine Field, Everett, WA, takeoff Crash into Mess Hall, USAAF Lockheed P-38D, 6:49 a.m.
— 2 Miami Daily News-Record, OK. “Plane Crashes, Kills Two Men in Army Hall.” 4-2-1942, 5
— 2 Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 66.
Pearson vicinity, GA, Savannah Airbase Plane Crash, USAAF Douglas DB-7B, 11:30 a.m.
— 3 Gastonia Daily Gazette, NC. “13 Army Fliers Killed in Four Crashes.” 4-3-1942, p. 1.
— 3 Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.
Planada vicinity, near Merced, CA, plane crash, USAAF Vultee BT-13A, 4:30 p.m.
— 2 Daily Independent, Murphysboro, IL. “Two Army Cadets Killed.” 4-3-1942, p. 1.
— 2 Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.
Helena, AR, Plane Crash, USAAF Stearman PT-17, 11:35 a.m.
Mireles: “At 1135, a Stearman PT-17 dove into the ground three miles north of Thompson-Robbins Field, Helena, Arkansas… A witness told investigators: “We were flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet heading toward the Main Airdrome to the south of us. After checking off to our left to see if any airplanes were near I looked to our right and in front of us and noticed below our right wind, a plane in a vertical dive at approximately 500 feet…” (Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.)
April 3: “Helena, Ark. – (AP) – Flying alone in a primary trainer, Aviation Cadet Emery H. Johnson, Jr., 20, Covington, Ky., was killed when the plane crashed near Helena Aero Tech yesterday. He was stationed at Tech, an army primary flying school.” (Kingsport Times, TN. “Army Student Cadet Killed in Plane Crash.” 4-3-1942, p. 1.)
April 3: “Little Rock, Ark., April 3. – (INS) – Military authorities tonight investigated the cause of the plane crash which took the life of aviation Cadet Emery H. Johnson, Jr., 20, Covington, Ky., who crashed while soloing near the Helena, Ark., army training base.” (Charleston Gazette, WV. “Series of Plane Smashups Probed.” 4-4-1942, p. 4.)
Leary, near Albany, GA, USAAF Curtis AT-9 Plane Crash, 8:45
Mireles: “At 2045, a Curtis AT-9 on a night navigation training flight crashed after suffering a catastrophic failure of its starboard wing five miles south of Leary…Civilian witnesses on the ground stated that the airplane had executed a series of turns prior to the accident. Investigators could not determine what caused the wing failure and noted a similar AT-9 accident that occurred on 3-31-42 at Turner Field, Albany, Georgia, which also involved the starboard wing…” (Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.)
April 3: “Albany, Ga., April 3 – (AP) – Second Lieut. Hinton S. McLeod, 26, of Fayetteville, N. C., and Aviation Cadet Emerson W. Kaler, of Crestline, Ohio, were killed here last night when their training plane crashed near Leary. Turner Field officers said the two were on a routine training flight. Cause of the crash was undetermined.” (Gastonia Daily Gazette, NC. “13 Army Fliers Killed in Four Crashes.” 4-3-1942, pp. 1 and 8.)
April 3: “Crestline – Emerson Kaler, 22-year-old U. S Army aviation cadet from Crestline who would have graduated as a pilot in three weeks, was killed Thursday night in a plane crash near Leary, Ga…. The message received by the youth’s father said: ‘Regret to advise your son, Aviation Cadet Emerson Kaler was killed in airplane crash five miles east of Leary, Ga., at 8:45 p. m. Thursday.’” (Mansfield News-Journal, OH. “Crestline Air Cadet Killed.” 4-3-1942, p. 1.)
Near Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, TX, USAAF Vultee BT-13A crash, 4 pm
Mireles: “At 1600, a Vultee BT-13A dove into the ground on the Nichols Ranch 12 miles south of Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, Texas… Witnesses stated to investigators that the airplane began a moderate nose-down descent from about 4,000 feet…with engine power reduced. As the dive became steeper, the aircraft produced a whistling sound and the attitude of the aircraft changed from a moderate nose-down…to an extreme nose-down attitude, striking the ground evenly along the leading edges of the wings….Investigators speculated that the instructor might have lost consciousness and that the student may have realized too late that the instructor was not properly on the controls.” (Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.)
April 3: “San Angelo, April 3. – (AP) — Goodfellow Field authorities are investigating the crash of a training plane in which Second Lieut. Phillip Williams Larsen, 22, of Westago [Westwego?], La., and Aviation Cadet Burdette Howard (Buddy) Hetzler, 22, of Hearne were killed yesterday.
“Hetzler tried unsuccessfully to parachute from the plane at a low altitude. Larsen remained with the ship, which was completely wrecked….” (Corsicana Daily Sun, TX. “Flying Office Trained Here is Killed in Crash.” 4-3-1942, p. 2.)
Paine Field, Everett, WA, takeoff Crash into Mess Hall, USAAF Lockheed P-38D, 6:49 am
Mireles: “At 0649, a Lockheed P-38D attempting a take-off crashed into a mess hall… The P-38 struck the mess hall in a 90-degree left bank after suffering a runaway ort propeller and striking the runway with the propeller and the semi-retracted landing gear. Investigators later stated,
This was the first airplane off in an alert take-off at 20 second intervals. It is evident that the pilot retracted the landing gear immediately after wheels left the runway. It is believed that the windshield then fogged up, which is a common difficulty with this airplane on morning take-offs, and the pilot let the airplane settle back to the runway striking heavily on the left propeller…The shock of propeller striking the runway damaged the left engine causing a fire and loss of power. The pilot applied power to the right engine causing the airplane to turn left in an increasingly steep bank and then to strike the mess hall.”
(Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.)
April 2: “Everett, Wash., April 2 – (AP) – Two army privates, attendants at a mess hall, were killed… today when a pursuit plane crashed into the hall at the Paine Field Airbase. Col. A. C. Strickland, commanding officer, said the dead were:
Pvt. James R. Hanley, Little Rock, Ark., and
Pvt. Henry H. Robertson, Elk City, Okla.
“Second Lieut. Oscar L. Morse of Cook, Neb., was the pilot. [Seriously injured (Gero 1999, 67)]
“The crash came only a few minutes before a large number of men were due at the hall for breakfast.
“The plane, which had just taken off from the field, burst into flames and the fire spread to the hall. The Paine field fire department extinguished the blaze.” (Miami Daily News-Record, OK. “Plane Crashes, Kills Two Men in Army Hall.” 4-2-1942, p. 5.)
Pearson vicinity, GA, Savannah Airbase Plane Crash, USAAF Douglas DB-7B, 11:30 a.m.
Mireles: “At 1130, a Douglas DB-7B collided with trees while maneuvering five miles south of Pearson, Georgia…The Accident Classification Committee speculated that the aircraft had been buzzing the area when the crash occurred….” (Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents... [US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.)
April 3: “Savannah, Ga., April 3 – (AP) — Three army fliers were killed yesterday when their ship crashed near Pearson, southwest of here, while on a routine training flight. They were from the Savannah air base. Two of the fliers, killed instantly, were First Lieut. Edward J. Walker of Savannah, the pilot, and Private P. I. Barbour of Huntington, W. Va. The third, who died in a Douglas Hospital, was identified as Corp. Emanuel A. Vollweiler of Blackfoot, Idaho.” (Gastonia Daily Gazette, NC. “13 Army Fliers Killed in Four Crashes.” 4-3-1942, pp. 1 and 8.)
Planada vicinity, near Merced, CA, Plane Crash, USAAF Vultee BT-13A, 4:30 p.m.
Mireles: “At 1630, a Vultee BT-13A stalled and spun into the ground three and one-half miles south of Planada… The airplane was executing a climbing turn to the left at approximately 500 feet when it stalled and plunged to the ground….” (Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 67.)
April 3: “Merced, Cal., April 3. – (UP) — Army Cadets Luther W. Jones, 23, Scottville, Ky., and Donald J. Gann, 22, Evansville, Ind., were killed yesterday when their basic training plane crashed into a fig grove and burned six miles east of Merced. The plane went into a nose dive at an altitude of 1,000 feet, army, authorities at the Merced air base said. It was the first fatal plane crash since the air base was established last December.” (Daily Independent, Murphysboro, IL. “Two Army Cadets Killed.” 4-3-1942, p. 1.)
Sources
Charleston Gazette, WV. “Series of Plane Smashups Probed. Four Scattered Crashes…” 4-4-1942, p. 4. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=40389493
Corsicana Daily Sun, TX. “Flying Officer Trained Here is Killed in Crash.” 4-3-1942, p. 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=153460218
Daily Independent, Murphysboro, IL. “Two Army Cadets Killed.” 4-3-1942, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=97782358
Gastonia Daily Gazette, NC. “13 Army Fliers Killed in Four Crashes.” 4-3-1942, pp. 1 and 8. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=65005173
Kingsport Times, TN. “Army Student Cadet Killed in Plane Crash.” 4-3-1942, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=49002476
Mansfield News-Journal, OH. “Crestline Air Cadet Killed.” 4-3-1942, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=15716974
Miami Daily News-Record, Miami, OK. “Plane Crashes, Kills Two Men in Army Hall.” 4-2-1942, 5. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=135662095
Mireles, Anthony J. Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 1: Introduction, January 1941 – June 1943). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.