Accident description
Last updated: 20 June 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 02 AUG 1943 |
| Time: | 12:40 |
| Type: | Douglas C-47A-35-DL |
| Operator: | United States Army Air Force - USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-23957 |
| C/n / msn: | 9819 |
| First flight: | |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Airplane damage: | Destroyed |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 0,8 km (0.5 mls) W of Rock Falls, IA (United States of America) |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Fort Wayne Municipal Airport/Baer Field, IN (FWA/KFWA), United States of America |
| San Rafael-Hamilton Field, CA (SRF), United States of America |
En route to Hamilton Field the C-47 ran into a severe thunderstorm. Turbulence caused the pilot to lose control of the airplane. He attempted to pull up but this caused too much stress on the airplane. The left wingtip buckled. The entire wing then folded back along the fuselage. It struck the horizontal stabilizer and tore it off as it separated from the fuselage. The C-47 entered a spin and crashed in flames.
It appeared that the airplane was overloaded by 2126 pounds.
Events:
Sources:
» Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research (AAIR)
» Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945, Vol. 2: July 1943-July 1944 / Anthony J. Mireles
Photos
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
