42-50331

On March 31, 1945 at 12:00 AM, 42-50331 experienced a crash involving Consolidated B-24 Liberator, operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF, with the event recorded near Kirkwall Orkney.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

14 people were known to be on board, 13 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 92.9%.

Crew on board: 14, crew fatalities: 13, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in St Ola, southeast of Kirkwall. A crew member was seriously injured while 13 other occupants were killed, among them six members of the Norwegian Special Forces. Crew: 2nd Lt Charles J. Allessio, T/Sgt Trygve Berge, Sgt Eugene J. Graf Jr, S/Sgt E. E. Kjelness, Sgt Edward W. Kussman, S/Sgt William E. Lewis Jr., Tec Leif E. Meland, Tec Gerald Ottersland, 2nd Lt Henry L. Polansky, Tec Johannas S. Rorvick, 2nd Lt Frederick William Smickle Jr., Tec Eddie O. Sondeno, Sgt William K. Stevens.

Aircraft reference details include registration 42-50331, MSN 766.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 58.9796°, -2.9614°.