Columbus - Columbus

On May 28, 1927 at 12:00 AM, Columbus - Columbus experienced a crash involving Keystone LB-5, operated by United States Army Air Corps - USAAC, with the event recorded near Reynoldsburg Ohio.

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

5 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 20.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The crew was engaged in a local test flight on this first prototype, a Keystone XLB-5. While cruising at a height of 1,200 feet southeast of Columbus Airport, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic failure of its right engine when a blade separated from the hub with explosive power, and tearing the engine apart. Shrapnel sprayed the five-man crew, which included 2nd Bombardment Group commander Major Lewis H. Brereton, flying copilot, and all except the nose gunner immediately parachuted. The nose gunner died in the crash, and the gasoline-soaked wreckage subsequently exploded and burned on the ground.

Aircraft reference details include registration 26-208, MSN 01, year of manufacture 1927.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 39.9548°, -82.8121°.