ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 97360
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| Date: | Saturday 17 October 1942 |
| Time: | 06:15 |
| Type: |  Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress |
| Owner/operator: | United States Army Air Force (USAAF) |
| Registration: | 41-9055 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Sierra Grande Mt, NM -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Rapid City (S.D.) Army Air Base |
| San Antonio, Texas |
Crashed into a mountain. All eleven crew members died in the crash.
B-17E Flying Fortress #41-9055, with the 338th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group, departed Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota for a cross country flight to San Antonio, Texas. The bomber was authorized to fly a direct line course at 8,000 feet. At approximately 06:15 hours, on October 17, 1942, the B-17 collided with the north face of 8,732-foot high Sierre Grande Peak, seven miles south-southwest of Des Moines, in northeast
New Mexico.
Investigation would reveal that the airplane sent a position report, indicating that they were 15 miles southwest of Garden City, Kansas. But Garden City did not receive the radio report. In fact, the message was heard by the station at La Junta, Colorado, which did not reply, as they thought the message was intended for the other station. Unaware of their actual position, the air crew were off course and flying 175 miles further to the west than intended. Investigation also showed propeller scrape marks on rocks and boulders that indicated the aircraft was most likely using full power and at normal, level flight when it flew into the mountainside. All eleven airmen aboard were killed. Accident was due to navigational error, caused by a failure to compensate for strong easterly winds. Sheep herders discovered the wreck site when they saw flames burning in the night and trekked to the location on October 19, 1942.
Killed in service were:
1st Lt. Paul D. Cunningham Jr., O-431005, GA, Pilot
2nd Lt. Charles W. Mann, O-791473, MA, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Robert S. Connor Jr., O-728180, OH, Navigator
2nd Lt. Lawrence W. Hunter, O-661632, OH, Bombardier
S/Sgt. Emery F. Herzog, 36316146, IL, Radio Operator
Sgt. Jerome A. Krzmarzick, 39092859, OR, Gunner
S/Sgt. Joseph C. Lynch, 33115971, PA, Flight Engineer
S/Sgt. Ward Murie, 39235956, CA, Assistant Engineer
S/Sgt. William R. Patton, 13012416, PA, Passenger
Sgt. Milton Lakin, 36321052, IL, Asst. Radio Operator
AVC Edward W. Larson, 11046685, MA, Student Bombardier
Sources:
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.asp
http://www.pressreader.com/
Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945, Anthony J. Mireles
http://usaafdata.com/?q=search&page=1606&order=field..
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135901299/ward-murie
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-May-2016 13:34 | gerard57 | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Mar-2022 18:39 | Gumby778 | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 08-Mar-2022 20:22 | Gumby778 | Updated [Narrative, Category] |
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