McGuire – Stephenville – Lakenheath

On July 13, 1956 at 03:37 PM, McGuire – Stephenville – Lakenheath experienced a crash involving Douglas C-118 Liftmaster, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near McGuire AFB (Fort Dix) New Jersey.

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

66 people were known to be on board, 46 fatalities were recorded, 20 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 69.7%.

Crew on board: 10, crew fatalities: 8, passengers on board: 56, passenger fatalities: 38, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. The Liftmaster was engaged in a transatlantic flight from McGuire (Fort Dix) Airbase to Lakenheath, UK, with an intermediate stop at Stephenville. Less than two minutes after takeoff from McGuire AFB runway 24, while climbing, the four engine aircraft encountered poor weather conditions, stalled and crashed in a dense wooded area located 1,4 mile from the airfield. Eight crew members and 38 passengers, among them civilians, were killed while 20 other occupants were injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration 53-3301, MSN 44672, year of manufacture 1955.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 40.0341°, -74.6123°.