Lajes - Hunter

On March 29, 1953 at 12:00 AM, Lajes - Hunter experienced a crash involving Boeing B-29 Superfortress, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near Lajes Azores Islands.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

15 people were known to be on board, 6 fatalities were recorded, 9 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 40.0%.

Crew on board: 15, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Shortly after takeoff from Lajes AFB, while in initial climb, the heavy bomber lost height and crashed one mile south of the airfield. Six crew members were killed while nine others were injured, some of them seriously. Crew: Maj Hugh S. Abcock Jr., † Cpt Louis Carl Bowen, † A1c Jimmie R. Cherry, † T/Sgt Issac M. Daniel, † S/Sgt. Wilmer R. Devlin, † 1st Lt Roy Wesley Wallace, † 1st Lt William R. Sundermann, 1st Lt William J. Pederson, A2c Fred W. Maschner, A1c Charles M. Caillouett Jr., A2c Daniel L. Browder, 1st Lt Thomas W. Minter, S/Sgt Yulee Mickler, A2c Arthur L. Turk Jr., A2c James F. Locklin.

Aircraft reference details include registration 44-61747, MSN 11224, year of manufacture 1944.