42-51642
Flight / Schedule
42-51642
Aircraft
Consolidated B-24 LiberatorRegistration
42-51642
MSN
3173
Date
February 28, 1945 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Bombing
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Crash Location
Grado Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Region
Europe • Italy
Coordinates
45.6781°, 13.3979°
Crash Cause
Terrorism act, Hijacking, Sabotage
Narrative Report
On February 28, 1945 at 12:00 AM, 42-51642 experienced a crash involving Consolidated B-24 Liberator, operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF, with the event recorded near Grado Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
The flight was categorized as bombing and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.
11 people were known to be on board, 11 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 11, crew fatalities: 11, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. The crew was engaged in a mission consisting to bomb bridges over the Isarco - Albes railroad, in the region of Bolzano. In flight, the aircraft was hit by the German Flak and the captain left the combat area and elected to fly to Trieste to ditch the aircraft. Eventually, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Adriatic Sea, off Grado. All 11 crew members were killed. Crew: 1st Lt Howard Hanson, pilot, S/Sgt Albert L. Acampora, 2nd Lt Edward H. Betz, T/Sgt Lawrence W. Brady, S/Sgt James S. Cox, 2nd Lt Clarence L. Dragoo, 2nd Lt Darrell E. German, 2nd Lt Richard M. Horwitz, S/Sgt Thomas M. McGraw, T/Sgt Lawrence F. Nally, S/Sgt Adolph Turpin.
Aircraft reference details include registration 42-51642, MSN 3173.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 45.6781°, 13.3979°.
Fatalities
Total
11
Crew
11
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The crew was engaged in a mission consisting to bomb bridges over the Isarco - Albes railroad, in the region of Bolzano. In flight, the aircraft was hit by the German Flak and the captain left the combat area and elected to fly to Trieste to ditch the aircraft. Eventually, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Adriatic Sea, off Grado. All 11 crew members were killed. Crew: 1st Lt Howard Hanson, pilot, S/Sgt Albert L. Acampora, 2nd Lt Edward H. Betz, T/Sgt Lawrence W. Brady, S/Sgt James S. Cox, 2nd Lt Clarence L. Dragoo, 2nd Lt Darrell E. German, 2nd Lt Richard M. Horwitz, S/Sgt Thomas M. McGraw, T/Sgt Lawrence F. Nally, S/Sgt Adolph Turpin.
Cause: Terrorism act, Hijacking, Sabotage
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
11
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 11
Operational Details
Flight Type
Bombing
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Region / Country
Europe • Italy
Aircraft Details
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