44-49278
Flight / Schedule
44-49278
Aircraft
Consolidated B-24 LiberatorRegistration
44-49278
MSN
4133
Date
March 8, 1945 at 11:20 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Bombing
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Spinazzola Apulia
Region
Europe • Italy
Coordinates
40.9692°, 16.0880°
Crash Cause
Other causes
Narrative Report
On March 8, 1945 at 11:20 AM, 44-49278 experienced a crash involving Consolidated B-24 Liberator, operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF, with the event recorded near Spinazzola Apulia.
The flight was categorized as bombing and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.
10 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 70.0%.
Crew on board: 10, crew fatalities: 7, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is other causes. Shortly after takeoff from Venosa AAF, while climbing, a life raft deployed accidentally in the cabin, went through the left door intentionally let opened and hit the port stabilizer. The captain ordered his crew to bail out and three of them were able to abandon the aircraft before it crashed in a field located 13 km northeast of Spinazzola, about 25 km east of Venosa. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and seven other crew members were killed. Crew: 1st Lt Erwin W. Bussick, navigator, † T/Sgt Richard H. Callaham Jr., flight engineer, † 1st Lt William Craven Jr., † Maj Philip Edward Cummings, pilot, † S/Sgt Aloysius F. Gasiorek, † 1st Lt Glenn Wilson Jones, copilot, † S/Sgt Mike J. Kovich, air gunner, † T/Sgt George Kavanaugh, radio operator, S/Sgt Richard Peath Ball, air gunner, Lt Argie Simmons, bombardier
Aircraft reference details include registration 44-49278, MSN 4133.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 40.9692°, 16.0880°.
Fatalities
Total
7
Crew
7
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
Shortly after takeoff from Venosa AAF, while climbing, a life raft deployed accidentally in the cabin, went through the left door intentionally let opened and hit the port stabilizer. The captain ordered his crew to bail out and three of them were able to abandon the aircraft before it crashed in a field located 13 km northeast of Spinazzola, about 25 km east of Venosa. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and seven other crew members were killed. Crew: 1st Lt Erwin W. Bussick, navigator, † T/Sgt Richard H. Callaham Jr., flight engineer, † 1st Lt William Craven Jr., † Maj Philip Edward Cummings, pilot, † S/Sgt Aloysius F. Gasiorek, † 1st Lt Glenn Wilson Jones, copilot, † S/Sgt Mike J. Kovich, air gunner, † T/Sgt George Kavanaugh, radio operator, S/Sgt Richard Peath Ball, air gunner, Lt Argie Simmons, bombardier
Cause: Other causes
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
10
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
3
Fatality Rate
70.0%
Known people on board: 10
Operational Details
Flight Type
Bombing
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
Europe • Italy
Aircraft Details
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