Accident | |
---|---|
Site | Lakewood, Washington, 1½ km north of McChord Field, Tacoma (Pierce County, Washington, USA) |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Douglas C-54G Skymaster |
Operator | USAF (1701st Air Transport Wing) |
Flight origin | Fairbanks (Alaska) |
Destination | McChord Field, Tacoma (Washington) |
Occupants | 39 |
Passengers | 32 |
Crew | 7 |
Fatalities | 37 |
Survivors | 2 |
The 1952 Tacoma C-54 crash was an aviation accident involving a Douglas C-54G Skymaster of the United States Air Force, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, November 28 1952, near McChord Field in the vicinity of Tacoma (Washington), resulting in the deaths of 37 people.
The aircraft's crew consisted of 7 members: [1]
The Douglas C-54G military transport aircraft from the 1701st Air Transport Wing was performing a passenger flight from Fairbanks (State of Alaska) to Tacoma (State of Washington) transporting a group of military personnel with their families. There were 39 people on board (including 7 crew members), among them 7 women (5 of whom were civilians) and 8 children. [1] [2] [3]
Just after midnight, while approaching McChord Field (near Tacoma), the crew requested weather data for Seattle-Tacoma Airport at 00:30. According to the data received, the region was experiencing fog, with visibility reaching ¾ mile (1.2 km), which was above the meteorological minimum. Therefore, the decision was made to land at McChord from the south side. However, as the aircraft descended to an altitude of 300 feet (approximately 91 meters), visibility sharply dropped to near zero. Consequently, at 00:48, the pilots reported aborting the approach and returning to their home base at Malmstrom Air Force Base (Great Falls, Montana). [2] [1] [4]
A few minutes later, a call was received at the airbase from the sheriff of Lakewood, Washington stating that an air crash had occurred south of the city. Continuing northward, at 00:50, the "Douglas" struck trees and crashed into a field one and a half kilometers from the airfield. The fuselage split in two upon impact, debris scattered over two hundred yards, and the spilled fuel ignited, causing a significant fire. [1]
Only three people were initially rescued at the scene: crew member 20-year-old Bobby Wilson (English: Bobby Wilson), who suffered third-degree burns and internal injuries, passenger 23-year-old Officer Curtis Redd (English: Curtis Redd), and 8-year-old Joseph M. Iacovitti (English: Joseph M. Iacovitti), who lost his father, mother, two brothers, and sister in the crash. However, on November 29, Wilson died from his injuries. Both surviving passengers also sustained severe injuries but managed to survive. In total, the air crash near Tacoma claimed 37 lives, completely destroying three families. [2]
The crash attracted attention because it occurred just 8 days after the crash of a military C-124 in Alaska (which killed 52 people). Three weeks after the Tacoma C-54 crash, another military C-124 crashed near Moses Lake, Washington, also in Washington state, killing 87 people. In total, over four weeks in the northwestern United States, three consecutive military transport plane crashes occurred, claiming a total of 176 lives (52+37+87). [1]
The commission investigating the crash was led by Brigadier General Richard J. O’Keefe (English: Richard J. O’Keefe), who was summoned from Norton Air Force Base (State of California). One of the aircraft's propellers was found a hundred yards from the main debris area, embedded vertically in the ground. An examination showed that the propeller was not rotating at the moment of impact. Witnesses reported seeing flames on the right wing or engine, but no reports of fire were received from the crew. [1]
After all the investigations, the following sequence of events was established. When the crew encountered very thick fog during the approach and decided to divert to Malmstrom Air Base, the aircraft's nose was sharply raised to gain altitude, and the engines were set to maximum power. However, engine failure of No. 3 occurred unexpectedly, significantly reducing the overall thrust, and the aircraft could no longer climb, continuing to fly at low altitude. As it flew over a hill, the C-54 was flying very low when it struck two fir trees about 100 feet (approximately 30 meters) high, causing it to lose speed and subsequently crash to the ground. [1]
Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Cascade County, Montana, United States, adjacent to the city of Great Falls. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom. It is the home of the 341st Missile Wing of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Malmstrom Air Force Base as a census-designated place (CDP). It had a population of 3,472 at the 2010 census.
McChord Field is a United States Air Force base in the northwest United States, in Pierce County, Washington. South of Tacoma, McChord AFB is the home of the 62nd Airlift Wing, Air Mobility Command, the airbase's primary mission being worldwide strategic airlift.
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster is a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain derived from the DC-3, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilian airliner, the Douglas DC-4. Besides transport of cargo, the C-54 also carried presidents, prime ministers, and military staff. Dozens of variants of the C-54 were employed in a wide variety of non-combat roles such as air-sea rescue, scientific and military research, and missile tracking and recovery. During the Berlin Airlift it hauled coal and food supplies to West Berlin. After the Korean War it continued to be used for military and civilian uses by more than 30 countries. It was one of the first aircraft to carry the President of the United States, the first being President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II.
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This is a list of aviation-related events from 1952:
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