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Aircraft Wrecks in the Mountains and Deserts of the American West Picture Archive 6
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Flying
alone at night from Long Beach Airport via Ontario International Airport to
Henderson, Nevada an experienced off duty USAF pilot crashed to his death
near the summit of the Cajon Pass only a few yards from Interstate 15.
Weather at the time of the accident was cloudy and very windy. NTSB
investigators will work to determine the cause and various factors that
contributed to this accident. |
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On October
20, 1944 a USAAF TB-24J #42-51444 made a successful forced landing on Saline
Dry Lake twenty miles NE of Lone Pine, CA due to the problems with two
engines. While exiting the aircraft after landing one of the crewmen slipped
under a still spinning propeller and had his leg severed. The crewman died
en route to hospital in Lone Pine of shock and blood loss. Note the
feathered props in the photograph. The condition of the lake surface did
permit the TB-24J to be repaired and flown out, so the plane was cut up and
salvaged for scrap. When Bob Koch and his friend Jess Flaherty visited the
accident site in May 1976 they found about 5% of the aircraft remaining. See
Craig Fuller’s web site at AAIR for the story of Craig’s Fall ’07 visit to
Saline Valley. |
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 On 10/23/71 the Planes of Fame in Chino, California sent its Republic P-47G N33956 to NAS Point Mugu, CA for the annual USN sponsored air show. As the P-47G approached the runway the 2,000 h.p. R-2800-21 engine suddenly quit and the plane settled into a field after taking out a power line and pole. The pilot escaped uninjured from the well built “Jug” of WWII fame. The crash site was just east of US Hwy 1 next to a roadway overpass embankment. I did not witness, but was there to drive by the crash scene with my family. (G. P. Macha) |
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When Consolidated B-24J
#42-78532 and B-24D #42-72862 mid-aired at 20,000’ over Death Valley, CA on
8/1/44. Seventeen crewmen on both aircraft were killed with only one
survivor. The wreckage was
scattered over a wide area. This photo by Tom Gossett depicts one of the Project Remembrance |
 Stainless .50 cal ammo can from left waist gun on B-24J #42-78522 that crashed 8/1/44 in Death Valley. (G.P. Macha photo) The propeller (picture to the left) is from one of the planes that collided midair and the ammo can is from the other plane. Project Remembrance
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 Judy Beal at the wreckage of Consolidated B-24J #42-78522 during March 2008 visit to Death Valley National Park to honor her cousin 2nd Lt. Rex R. Phillips. (Photo courtesy Bruce Beal) Project Remembrance |
 Memorial Day is every day that we remember our relatives, friends, and countrymen who have given their lives in good service to our Nation. When Bruce and Judy Beal went to Death Valley National Park in March 2008 to visit the crash site of Judy’s cousin 2nd Lt. Rex R. Phillips they made a pilgrimage of remembrance. 2nd Lt. Rex R. Philips was the co-pilot on Consolidated B-24D #42-72862 that collided with B-24J #42-78522 on 8/1/44. Of the eighteen men on the two aircraft there was only one survivor, Pfc. Newton J. Steven. Bruce and Judy Beal stand next to one of the propellers of the ill-fated B-24’s where they took a moment to honor all the air crewmen who died on that hot summer day so long ago. (Photo courtesy of Mr.& Mrs. Bruce Beal)
Project
Remembrance |
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B-24D & B-24J Mid-Air
Collision 8/1/44 Project Remembrance |
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