La Crosse – Fort McCoy – Wright-Patterson

On July 6, 1953 at 12:00 AM, La Crosse – Fort McCoy – Wright-Patterson experienced a crash involving Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor, operated by United States Coast Guard - USCG, with the event recorded near Fort McCoy Wisconsin.

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

4 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft was on a cross-country flight. Following an overnight stop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, due to poor weather, the aircraft departed the next morning for nearby Fort McCoy, to refuel. After refueling, the airplane departed Fort McCoy for Wright-Patterson AFB but during initial climb, the left engine lost power. The pilot-in-command elected to return and completed a turn to the left when the aircraft stalled and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed. Crew: Lcdr LeWayne N. Felts, Cpt Phillip M. Clinton, 1st Lt Rory G. Jahn, Cwo Kenneth Ziegler.

Aircraft reference details include registration 43-35565.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 44.0323°, -90.6798°.