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MishapVP-24 MishapMishap

1940's

MishapsMISHAPs: 30 JAN 42 A/C: PBY-5A pby Location: Canton Islands-Suva, Fiji.(Makin Island) Strike: Yes DEATHS: 11 BUNO: 2413 Cause: Reported missing during during an overnite extended patrol flight. Crew: Ens Vance W. Stallcup/Pilot, Ens John T. Hart/Co-pilot, Amm1c Raymond E.Scholl, Ens Carl L. Wene, Amm1c Joseph F. Kryplack, Rm1c Kenneth M. Keller, Amm3c.Merl A.Pyeatt, Rm2c Alfred F. Myers, Aom1c Delbert F. Deal, Amm2c Edward D. Paris, and Aerog3c R. J.Huct. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [22DEC2000]

UPDATE "...(night) Extended overnight flight. Slide out of formation in bad weather. Radio contact could not me made. Plane missing, unknown cause. Crew missing Pilo ENS Vance W. Stallcup, ENS John T. Hart, AMM1 Raymond E. Scholl(NAP), ENS Carl L. Wene, AMM1 Joseph F. Kruplack, RM1 Kenneth M. Keller, AMM3 Merl A. Pyeatt, RM2 Alfred F. Myers, AOM1 Delbert F. Deal, AMM2 Edward D. Paris, and Aerog3c. R. J. Huct. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [14JUN2001]

UPDATE "...I've been trying to find info on my uncle (RM2C Alfred F. Myers-#03933206) who was MIA Jan.30,1942 on a flight in the Canton Islands-Suva,Fiji.(Makin Island). I've since found out that 2413 was assigned to VP-24, but was "on loan" to VP-23. Any information anyone has would be greatly appreciated..." Contributed by Merryanne Brown merryanneb@hotmail.com [14APR2000]


MishapsMISHAPs: 18 MAY 42 A/C: PBY-5 pby Location: Hawaii Area Strike: Yes BUNO: 05018 Cause: Eye witness accounts of the events leading up to the accident indicate that the plane first got into trouble at an altitude of approximately 2500-ft. The accident was apparently caused by the pilot conducting the check. Lt.Henderson, making radical settings on the control tabs, causing the plane to assume dangerous attitudes with violent maneuvers which might have partially incapacitated the pilots from maintaining proper control. The attitude assumed by the plane when the left wing fell and the nose went down and at the same time being thrown into a right skid could well have thrown the plane into an outside turn downward. The forces exerted by such a movement could well have thrown and pinned the pilots against the top of the cockpit in which position neither of them would have been able to contact the controls. This would allow the plane to fall freely in a vertical dive as it was observed to have done. Crew killed: Pilot. Lt. Frank H. Henderson, Lt(jg). Robert L. Conrad, Acom. Robert Osborn (fo), Amm1c. Bennie R. Summerlin (fo), Amm1c. Glenn A. Jamieson (fo), Amm2c. Phillip M. Campbell (fo), Amm3c. Raymond E. Fehr, Amm3c. Clarence A. Stausebach, Arm3c. John J. Altieri, and Aom. Orlando R. Smith. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [23JUN2001]


MishapsMISHAPs: 23 JUL 42 A/C: PBY-1 pby Location: Hilo Harbor, Hawaii Area Strike: Yes BUNO: 0123 Cause: Wing tactics. Take-off from Hilo Harbor was made from near south-west shoreline of harbor toward harbor entrance. Airplane bounced on swell and nose into another, with minor damage. The take-off run was made nose high and completed without further incident. Damage: Minor. Crew OK. Pilot Ens J. H. Kilker, AV-N, USNR, Ens S. R. Stanul, (co-pilot) AV-N, USN, AMM1 K. S. Dunwoody, NAP, USN, AMM1 M. C. Houchin, AMM3 J. W. Brumback, ARM2 P. V. Davis, and PRT1c. A. R. Bannister. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [18NOV2002]


MishapsMISHAPs: 12 DEC 42 A/C: PBY-5A pby Location: Routine patrol. Makapuu Point, Oahu Indies Strike: Yes BUNO: 05027 Cause: Survivors of crash stated the engines performed and plane as in sharp right turn prior to crash. Damage:Completely destroyed Crew: Pilot Lt(jg). Ralph O. Poling/Killed, Ens. Woodrow W. Willaims/Killed, Ens. Daniel T. Ronan/Killed(remains recovered), AP1c. Irby L. White/Killed, Amm2c. Daniel M. Zech/Killed, Rm2c. Wilfred N. Thompson/Killed, Rm3c. William T. Edmundson/Killed, Rm3c. Donald L. Nielsen/Killed, Amm3c. Martin A. Karasek/Seriously inj (recovered 11 days later), and Amm3c. Dolphine Murphy/Seriously in (recovered 8 days later). Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [08JUL2001]


MishapsMISHAPs: 12 JUL 43 A/C: PBY-5A pby Location: Tulagi Harbor Strike: Yes BUNO: 08246 Cause: Crashed and burned. Crew Killed: LT(jg) Robert Chalfent ALLEN (Pilot), ENSIGN Archie H. PATE, ENSIGN William E. LEMING, AMM2 William C. HENDERSON, AMM2 Robert E. NEUMAN, AMM3 Agmar E. VOGE, RM3 Otis T. SEVERSON and AP1 Lody B. MAXWELL. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [24JUL2001]

UPDATE "...My uncle, AMM3 Almar E. VOGE, was lost July 12th, 1943 while serving with VP-24. His PBY crashed upon landing at Halavo Bay, Florida Islands and his body was never recoverd. I have some information about the crash, but would like to know more about his service..." Contributed by Barbara Taylor lmfttaylor@aol.com [27MAR2014]


MishapsMISHAPs: 10 MAY 44 A/C: PBY-5A pby Location: Sector search Strike: Yes BUNO: 46500 Cause: Failed to return to base from routine patrol. Last radio contact NAS and E.T.A. sent from pilot, from a point one-hundred-fifty miles from base (Midway). No trace of plane was found during subsequent search. Crew missing: Pilot Lt(jg) Wade Hampton A-V(N) USNR, Lt(jg) Vincent B. Garrard A-V(N) USNR, Ens Albert Paul Granwald A-V(N) USNR, Amm2c Lawrence Eugene Peters USN, Amm2c Robert Harry Gray USNR, Rm3c Jack Staples USNR, Rm3c Thomas L. Price USN, Aom3c Agustus Bryant Corebelle USNR, Cpl Nicholas John Andros USMCR, and Aom3c Howard Allan Martin USNR. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [08AUG2001]


MishapsMISHAPs: 27 JUN 44 A/C: PBY-5A pby Location: Majuro Strike: Yes BUNO: 48326 Cause: Combat mission: Crash due to bad weather:No Injuries. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [11AUG2001]


MishapsMISHAPs: 01 DEC 44 A/C: PBY-5A pby Location: Western Central Pac Strike: Yes BUNO: 48331 Cause: Cause not known. No inj. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [14AUG2001]


1950's

MishapsMISHAPs: 11 NOV 51 A/C: P4Y-2B PB4Y-1 LOCATION: Royal AFB, Luca Field, Malta STRIKE: Yes BUNO: 59990 CAUSE: Training of prospective PPC. Pilot DOYLE, with WISS in left hand seat, commenced taxiing incident to routine flight. Left hand turn was commenced as soon as aircraft began to move. Unusually noise was immediately noticed by Lt.HONOUR, who was acting as taxi director and observed the left main mount was folding outward. Turn continued as mount folded. Left wing, fuselage, and #1 and #2 propellers struck the ground. There were no injuries to personnel. "Strike" Analysis: Accident is considered to have been the result of succession of events which combined to make accident possible and to prevent dection of fact that incorrect cylinder had been installed. They are: A) Improper listing of cylinder. B) Fact that name plate was missing from cylinder prevented man doing work from discovering he had wrong material. C) Fact that the wrong piece fitted perfectly and appeared normal in all respects. D)A complete set of jacks was not available due to damage in shipment and this prevented aircraft from being jacked. E)Work was being done at an advance base without adequate facilities. Crew and Pass Ok: Pilot Lt Cmdr Donald Huston Wiss USN VP-24, Lt Cmdr.James P. Doyle (co-pilot) USN PP2P, Cmdr James A. McKeon USN PP2P, Cmdr Donald G. White USN(passenger), Cmdr Noel W. McDaniel USN(passenger), Lt Cmdr.William B. Coley USN Navigator-1, Lt Cmdr.Sid Watts Shelton USN Navigator-2, Lt Fred Bascome Horton USN (T) (passenger), Ens Nicholas A. Vassalotti USN (passenger), AD1 William F. Surgi USN (Plane Captain), ALC Robert O. Wade USN 1st Radioman, AM3 Thomas R. Allen USN 2nd Radioman, AT2 William K. McCune USN Radar, and PR1 Clarence E. Stewart USN (passenger). Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [11FEB2002]

UPDATE "...Picture of mishap..." Contributed by Andy Massa navyvp24@hotmail.com [26FEB2003]
VP Mishap ThumbnailCameraVP-24 Mishap Picture


MishapsMISHAPs: 06 OCT 52 A/C: P4Y-2 PB4Y-1 Location: NAS Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada Strike: Yes BUNO: 59988

UPDATE VP Mishap ThumbnailCameraVP-24 Mishap Contributed by Andy Massa navyvp24@hotmail.com [26FEB2003]

UPDATE "...We lost HA-7 in a crash in Newfoundland but by the grace of GOD, I was home in NJ while my wife was delivering our firstborn - frightening: the who took my place temporarily died in the crash on the Argentia runway) an interesting point - we also lost a plane the following year in a white-out when it crashed into a mountain peak on Elsmere Island (above the treeline)...we lost (good friends involved - all died) - Ellsmere Island has mountain peaks up to 30,000 feet high - if I remember correctly it was HA-8...it took a week to find the crash site because of blizzards and when the finally found it they dropped para-medics (parachutes) because the plane was just over a chasm - there were severe downdrafts so you could not go in with helicopters the crash of HA-7 landing at Argentia (my plane): we lost pilot, co-pilot, navigator and 3 crewmembers - after I returned to the squadron once my child was born, I joined to the crew of the "new" HA-7 along with three of the guys who survived the crash..." Contributed by George Bahto ggb313@aol.com [06SEP98]

UPDATE "...I had been discharged only about a month and was returning from an interview at Georgetown U. on the Penn. RR. A man got on at Phil. and sat next to me. As he opened his newspaper I noted a story headlined " Phil. sailor killed in aircrash." It was the story of HA-7 and I believe the sailor was a young AL on the crew. I also believe that VP-24's Personnel Officer, a really good guy, was PPC on 7. I think I remember Bahto, since I was also from NJ..." Contributed by Joe Jakositz irjo@iserve.net[24APR99]


MishapsMISHAPs: 16 APR 54 A/C: P4Y-2 PB4Y-1 A/C: P4Y-2 Location: Ellesmere Island Strike: Yes BUNO: 59925 Contributed by MASSA, Andy navyvp24@hotmail.com [04MAR2008]

UPDATE History ThumbnailCameraVP-24 Mishap "...19APR54 - Lost Navy Plane Search Continues - Publication Title: 13th Naval District Public Information Department Press Clippings, 1942-1960 - Content Source: NARA - Publication Number: P2012 - Date Range: Jan 1953-1955 - Reel Number: 0003 - WebSite: http://www.footnote.com/..." Forwarded by Stephen Miller f134kilmil@comcast.net [29AUG2008]

UPDATE VP Mishap ThumbnailCameraVP-24 Mishap "...Just returned from Nova Scotia and the VP International Memorial Event. All attempts to recover #147969 failed. 14 wing hosted Greg Rinn and me with the encouragement and support of Norm Donovan (Exchange w/VP24) and Bert Campbell both retired maritime patrol navigators VPI Web Site of the memorial event: http://www.vpinternational.ca/2005/2005.htm..." Contributed by Andy Massa navyvp24@hotmail.com [26FEB2003]

UPDATE "...The Loss of P4Y-2B Bureau # 59925, April 16, 1954..." Contributed by MASSA, Andy navyvp24@hotmail.com [04MAR2008]

The Loss of P4Y-2B Bureau # 59925, April 16, 1954.

In George Bahto's account above, he mentioned a second crash on Ellesmere Island. In early 2003, I undertook the task of confirming the details of such a crash. Given additional info from George Bahto and Joe Bauer plus information from the Naval Historical Center in Washington DC I have now collected the details of that crash and the loss of all hands.

One of the squadron's missions at the time was iceberg patrol. The navy was studying ice flows and how icebergs break up and enter the North Atlantic. VP-24 was missioned to fly iceberg surveillance flights and in doing such had civilian observers along on this flight. The civilians were experts on icebergs and their movements. One of the squadron A/C (59925) had been modified: its nose turret removed and replaced with a clear plexi-glass nose and special camera had been mounted in the nose, on some sort of track.

I received from the Naval Historical Center a copy of the A/C History card for 59925, which was officially accepted into Navy service on 5/29/45 and was stricken as of April 16, 1954. I also received transcripts of communications logs with 59925 from the 931st AC&W Squadron. There is an air of mystery to this flight and crash. Was the plane just looking for icebergs or on some sort of secret mission? The exact location of the crash and the coordinates of the plane's flight path remain "SECRET". The Air Force log reads:

    1600Z: Disconnect (Air Force Control's name) was advised by Thule Tower that Navy 59925, a P4Y2 was airborne.

    1605Z: Initial radar pick up at xx:xx, yy:yy, altitude 5,000 feet. Grd spd 160k. A/C made good a course 300 deg T.

    1612Z: A/C made a starboard orbit at xx:xx, yy:yy, A/C then resumed course at 300 deg. T.

    1622Z: at xx:xx, yy:yy, A/C was notified by Disconnect, through Thule Airways that he was approaching a published Danger Area. D/2 current Radio Facility Charts. A/C then made several starboard orbits and proceeded on a course of 345 deg. T. As air to air gunnery was being conducted at that time in the Danger Area. Gunnery A/C were advised to cease fire until 59925 was clear.

    1645Z: At xx:xx, yy:yy, A/C changed course to 310 deg T.

    1648Z: At xx:xx, yy:yy, A/C faded from radar contact.
Below are veteran's accounts and a newspaper article, chronicling the heroic attempt to determine if there were crash survivors. Was 59925 shot down by friendly fire? Was 59925 just on a routine ice patrol or a secret mission? Do you know any more details?

9 Die in Arctic Plane Crash, April 16th, 1954, Wreckage was not located for 10 days

The wreckage of a P4Y-2B Privateer reconnaissance plane attached to Patrol Squadron 24 with nine men aboard was sighted on Monday, April 26, 1954 on Ellesmere Island, a large glacial island west of Thule, Greenland.

The flight departed from Argentia, Newfoundland on April 14th for Thule on a routine ice reconnaissance flight for the United States Hydrographic Office, Washington, D. C. making routine stops along the way. On 16 April the plane left Thule on its ill-fated trip to 'Alert", a weather station.

Immediately after losing contact with the aircraft at 170OZ time April 16th the air-sea rescue teams in the area were alerted and air-search commenced from airfields at Thule, BW-1, BW-8 and Goose Bay, Labrador. Contact with the plane was not regained and the plane was presumed downed. Air-search teams scoured the area of last contact as well as surrounding areas.

It wasn't until April 26th, a full ten days later, that the wreckage was sighted on Ellesmere Island in the Baffin Bay area. VP-24 whose home base is at the Patuxent River Naval Station in Maryland was contacted with this information immediately.

None of the crew survived the crash winch apparently exploded and burned upon impact. A small amount of wing section and vertical stabilizer was all that was identifiable. The 5th Air Rescue Squadron (US Air Force) planned to drop a team of investigators at the scene of the crash.

The crewmen aboard:

LT W. C. Kuerten, Pilot, Philadelphia, PA
LTjg H. R. Summers, Co-Pilot, Washington, DC
ENS S. B. Sparks, Navigator, Buffalo, Wyoming
AD2 Streseman, Plane Captain, Hutchinson, Minn
PH2 R. W. Jennison, Photo, Cedar Rapids. Iowa
AG I L. L. Martin, Observer (attached to the Fleet Weather Central Naval Station, Argentia)
H. S. Kaminski, Civilian Observer (Hydrographic Office, Washington, DC one of the foremost authorities on ice formations in the Arctic)
AT2 J. R- Olszewski, Radar, Lexington Park, MD
ALAN J. P. Pryor, Radio, Baltimore, Md

Parachutists Prove "the impossible" on Polar Ice (The Washington Post - Tuesday May 18, 1954), Thule Air Force Base, Greenland, May 10th New York Herald Tribune (delayed)

In a history-making reconnaissance mission, two volunteer Air force parachutists plummeted under high wind and sub-zero cold conditions onto the Arctic ice cap 150-mfles northwest of Thule, located 809 nautical miles from the North Pole.

Tech. Sgt. Elliot Holder, of Henderson, TX and Staff Sgt. Robert Christensen, of Berlin. WI were picked up today by helicopter and returned here after 12 days on frozen, snow-whipped terrain without injury, illness or even catching a cold. These two brave men were assigned to discover whether any of the nine crewmembers of a missing Navy Privateer plane were still alive on the barren slopes of Paget Sound on Eastern Ellesmere Island.

They found that all nine bad met instant death when their plane crashed head-on into an ice-covered mount-tin top during a patrol mission disrupted by white out" weather, causing the horizon to become invisible.

This evaluation would not nave been possible from the air. Faint wireless signals of undetermined origins gave faint hope of survivors but it became apparent they were not from the ill-fated Navy patrol plane. Both Holder and Christensen of the 55th Air Rescue Squadron of the Military Air Transport Service were trained corpsman carrying radio equipment and well stocked with medical supplies,

To call this brave fete precarious would be gross understatement. Holder jumped first exactly where planned, landing safely on an ice-covered slope leading to a steep cliff and then to an ice-choked bay. He was fortunate to gather his parachute before it could drag him too far, but Christensen was less lucky. The latter was pulled down the slope for nearly a quarter of a mile to the brink of the cliff before he could gain control. Notwithstanding raging winds the two men, after much difficulty, pitched a "barren land tent" on the frozen surface. Eventually the wind reached in excess of 100 mile per hour but with their special specially developed survival equipment they were able to keep warm and reasonably comfortable made their shelter. They had plenty of food, candies and "Canned Heat.'

Upon returning to their campsite after their initial visit to the wreckage they were surprised to fin a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and two Eskimo companions from a police station 30 miles away.

The men were eventually picked up by an Sikorsky H- 19 helicopter piloted bv 1st Lt Archie E Lush of Camden, NJ. The entire operation marks the farthest North that either parachutists or helicopters ever have been used.

1960's

MishapsMISHAPs: 28 MAY 68 LOCATION: NAS Keflavik, Iceland TYPE: Wheels Up Landing STRIKE: No DEATHS: 08 BUNO: 152729 CAUSE: Pilot

UPDATE "...This incident was not actually a wheels up landing. It was supposed to be a low approach & the check list was held at wheels down & locked by the instructor pilot, who happened to be the CO. The pilot in training had been in the left seat for an hour shooting touch & go's, and he simply was so in the groove that he & everybody else seemed to forget that it was to be a low approach. Worst of all, the checklist was never resumed, so the gear remained up.

The first indication of something wrong was a sound like a machine-gun, and somebody yelled `what the Hell's that?' The flight engineer saw the gear handle in the up position, shoved the throttles to the firewall and yelled `go around!' They did, but #2 was vibrating so badly they had to shut it down. At least 18 inches was taken off every prop blade, sending shrapnell through adjacent engine nacelles, the bomb bay, and the hull near by the radio operator's station. All the aft belly antennas and the fiberglass fairing for one of them were ground off when they rotated. 1,800 feet of runway was damaged.

The plane was flown back to the States after all four engines where changed, the antennas replaced, and the holes patched. They used a coke can to patch the one by the radio station, & a picture of it is in the cruise book..." Contributed by W. E. Wilgus III Director@ThePublicCause.Net [06DEC2001]


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