R E S
T R I C T E D
- WAR
DEPARTMENT
- U.S.
ARMY AIR FORCES
- REPORT
OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT
- Accident
Number:
43-2-2-6
- Place:
12 Mi. North/West of Bedford, Va. Sharp Top, Peak
of Otter Mts.
- Date:
February 2, 1943
- Time:
21:20 EMT
- Aircraft: Type
and model: B-25D
- A.F.
Number:
41-29828
- Station:
C.A.A.B., South Carolina
- Organization:
Command and Air Force:
3rd Bom. Com. SAF.
- Group:
309th B. G.
- Squadron:
376th Bombardment Sqdn.
(M)
- Personnel:
Note: the following fields
are the same for each crew member:
- Branch:
AC, Air
Force or command:
3rd A.F. Result
to Personnel:
Fatal
- Used
Parachute: None
Personnel
Class: 2c-1 (for all
but the Corporal, his is 1e-1)
- Crew members
Name:
- Pilot: Pitts, Paul M.
Serial
No. 0-730956
Rank
2nd. Lt.
- Co Pilot: McClure, Wm. C.
Serial
No. 0-794556
Rank
2nd. Lt.
- Bombardier: Beninga, George
R. Serial
No. 0-733132
Rank
2nd. Lt.
- Navigator: Blackwell, Hilary
S. Serial
No. 0-669000
Rank
2nd.
Lt
- Engineer: Biscan, Peter J.
Serial
No. 20607466
Rank
Cpl.
- Pilot Charged
with accident: Pitts,
Paul M., 0-730956, 2nd. Lt., 2c-1,
A.C.
- Assigned:
3rd Bom Com., 3rd A.F.,
309th B.G., 376 th Bomb. Sqdn. (M),
C.A.A.B., S.C.
- Original
Rating: Pilot, 9/29/42
Present
Rating: Pilot
9/29/42
- Instrument
rating: January 15,
1943
- First Pilot
Hours: (at the time of this
accident):
- This type:
B-25,
112.5
- This
Model: B-25D,
44.50
- Last 90
days:
112.50
- Total:
112.50
- Instrument Time
last 6 months: 18.5
- Instrument time
last 30 days:
7.5
- Night time last
6 months:
48.05
- Night time last
30 days:
21.45
- Damage:
Aircraft:
5,
Engines: 5,
Propellers:
5
- List of damaged
parts: Complete
Wreck
- Weather at the
time of accident: CAVU
(Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited)
- Was the pilot
flying on instruments at the time of accident:
Unknown
- Cleared
from:
C.A.A.B,
Kind of clearance: CFR
3000'
- Pilot's
Mission: Night Navigation
WLC-FL-RA-LB-GW-WLC
- Nature of
accident: Crashed into
side of mountain
- Cause of
accident:
Unknown
- Description of
Accident: Brief narrative of
accident.
Include
statement of responsibility and recommendations for
action to prevent repetition:
- The aircraft passed over
Bedford, Virginia at approximately 21:15 EWT traveling
in northwesterly direction. Many persons in Bedford
heard the plane go over and most accounts indicated
that it was at an unusually low altitude, because of
the loud noise. Persons out of doors at the time the
ship passed over also indicated that the ship was
lower than usual and was heading in the direction of
the mountain. All agreed that engines were running
perfectly. As nearly as it can be determined the
aircraft did not circle, but did proceed on a straight
course from Bedford to the point of impact with the
mountain.
-
- It struck the mountain at an
estimated altitude of 3000' above sea level or 2000'
above the elevation of the city of Bedford. Almost
immediately following impact, the ship burst into
flame, which was followed by minor explosions. Green
lights were decried to have been seen adjacent to main
fire. These green lights it is assumed were flares set
off by the fire. Search and rescue parties quickly
assembled in the city of Bedford and proceeded by cars
to various points of access to the mountain. Some of
the searchers reached the scene before daylight. Some
became lost and did not reach scene until after
daylight. The first party reached the scene about 1:00
EWT. By this time there was only a little smoldering
remaining of the fire. Other parties reached there
during the early morning and after
daylight.
-
- Wednesday night the bodies
were removed from the mountain by a party of
twenty-six (26) men, which included Major Kane and
Captain Hall, under great difficulty, further impeded
by a 2" snowfall Wednesday. It required from 17:00
o'clock Wednesday until 04:00 Thursday morning to
accomplish the removal of bodies.
-
- Friday morning the general
distribution of the wreckage was sketched by Major
Kane, who accompanied civilian guards and photographer
to the scene (see-attached sketch and photo's). With
the aid of daylight, it was possible to determine that
the first impact was with trees, which pulled plane
downward into ground at which point it probably burst
and bounded up the mountain to point of rest shown in
sketch and in pictures.
Date:
February 10, 1943
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