Dover – Stephenville – Lajes – Mildenhall

On April 18, 1960 at 12:00 AM, Dover – Stephenville – Lajes – Mildenhall experienced a crash involving Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near Stephenville Newfoundland & Labrador.

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

9 people were known to be on board, 9 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 9, crew fatalities: 9, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The aircraft was performing a flight from Dover to RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, with intermediate stops at Stephenville and Lajes, carrying a load of mail and medical supplies. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing in low visibility due to fog, the airplane struck a hill (450 feet) located about 10 km from the airfield and was destroyed upon impact. All nine crew members were killed. Crew: Lt Donald P. Sheehan, pilot, Lt Robert E. Little, copilot, Cpt Gerald E. Avery, pilot, Lt Leon E. Pedersen, navigator, Lt Harold G. Harrison, navigator, M/Sgt Ben A. Sharpe, flight engineer, T/Sgt Clark N. Orndorff, flight engineer, M/Sgt Edward T. Retus, flight engineer, A2c Wallace M. Williams, loadmaster.

Aircraft reference details include registration 52-1062, MSN 43971, year of manufacture 1952.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 48.5532°, -58.5653°.