At an unknown time after 0304 MWT 9 December 1943, Consolidated Liberator B-24E #41-28471 collided with LaMosca Peak 14 miles northeast of Acomita, New Mexico, killing the crew of nine. The airplane, stationed at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Alabama, was declared missing and was eventually found 16 December 1943. The B-24 had taken off from Love Field, Dallas, Texas, at 2252 CWT on a navigation training flight to Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas, with Kirtland Army Air Field, Albuquerque, New Mexico, as an alternative. The weather at El Paso and Albuquerque were reported as "contact". El Paso reported visibility unlimited in light rain showers and overcast of about 4,500 feet. Albuquerque reported visibility six miles under an overcast of about 3,700 feet. Weather near Acomita was reported as
"closed conditions" with a ceiling of 300 feet above ground level with a visibility of one-half mile in light snow and dense fog, winds East at 18 mph.
Investigators noted that the pilot filed a flight plan with an en route altitude of 8,000 feet, which is below the minimum required altitude for the flight. The airplane was eventually contacted and it was discovered to be
flying at 12,000 feet on instruments near Wink, Texas. The pilot contacted Albuquerque for landing instructions at
0236 MWT, reporting 15 minutes out at 13,000 feet. the airplane was unable to receive the landing instructions from Kirtland Army Air Field and they were relayed to the B-24 by Albuquerque ATC and were acknowledged at 0304. Moments later the B-24 crashed into the mountain on a gentle slope at an approximate elevation of 11,000 feet, about one mile north of Mount Taylor. All on board were killed instantly. Investigators noted that the precise time of the accident could not be established because the crewmembers watches that were recovered were found to be in operating condition and presumably had not been stopped by the impact.*
The crew members killed in the crash were~
2nd Lt Jack Clarence Elliott, O-805420, Instructor Pilot, from Danville IL
2nd Lt Ralph Thomas Byers, O-812221, Pilot, from Cleveland Co NC
2nd Lt Harold E Anderson 2L, Pilot, O-812205, from Knox Co IL
2nd Lt Roy H Brasher, O-812215, Pilot, from Lake Co IN
2nd Lt Perry Owen Corley, O-813664, Co-Pilot, from AR
Sgt Edwin O Bowman, 34268644, Flight Engineer, from Coffee Co GA
Cpl Frederick A Rausch, 34530396, Passenger, from Pasco Co FL
Cpl Antonio D Posillico/Anthony D Posellico, 32226445, Passenger, from Schenectady NY
TSgt Hubert C Perez, 19050536, Passenger, from Los Angeles CA
*crash incident summary courtesy of Anthony J Mireles
"closed conditions" with a ceiling of 300 feet above ground level with a visibility of one-half mile in light snow and dense fog, winds East at 18 mph.
Investigators noted that the pilot filed a flight plan with an en route altitude of 8,000 feet, which is below the minimum required altitude for the flight. The airplane was eventually contacted and it was discovered to be
flying at 12,000 feet on instruments near Wink, Texas. The pilot contacted Albuquerque for landing instructions at
0236 MWT, reporting 15 minutes out at 13,000 feet. the airplane was unable to receive the landing instructions from Kirtland Army Air Field and they were relayed to the B-24 by Albuquerque ATC and were acknowledged at 0304. Moments later the B-24 crashed into the mountain on a gentle slope at an approximate elevation of 11,000 feet, about one mile north of Mount Taylor. All on board were killed instantly. Investigators noted that the precise time of the accident could not be established because the crewmembers watches that were recovered were found to be in operating condition and presumably had not been stopped by the impact.*
The crew members killed in the crash were~
2nd Lt Jack Clarence Elliott, O-805420, Instructor Pilot, from Danville IL
2nd Lt Ralph Thomas Byers, O-812221, Pilot, from Cleveland Co NC
2nd Lt Harold E Anderson 2L, Pilot, O-812205, from Knox Co IL
2nd Lt Roy H Brasher, O-812215, Pilot, from Lake Co IN
2nd Lt Perry Owen Corley, O-813664, Co-Pilot, from AR
Sgt Edwin O Bowman, 34268644, Flight Engineer, from Coffee Co GA
Cpl Frederick A Rausch, 34530396, Passenger, from Pasco Co FL
Cpl Antonio D Posillico/Anthony D Posellico, 32226445, Passenger, from Schenectady NY
TSgt Hubert C Perez, 19050536, Passenger, from Los Angeles CA
*crash incident summary courtesy of Anthony J Mireles
At an unknown time after 0304 MWT 9 December 1943, Consolidated Liberator B-24E #41-28471 collided with LaMosca Peak 14 miles northeast of Acomita, New Mexico, killing the crew of nine. The airplane, stationed at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Alabama, was declared missing and was eventually found 16 December 1943. The B-24 had taken off from Love Field, Dallas, Texas, at 2252 CWT on a navigation training flight to Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas, with Kirtland Army Air Field, Albuquerque, New Mexico, as an alternative. The weather at El Paso and Albuquerque were reported as "contact". El Paso reported visibility unlimited in light rain showers and overcast of about 4,500 feet. Albuquerque reported visibility six miles under an overcast of about 3,700 feet. Weather near Acomita was reported as
"closed conditions" with a ceiling of 300 feet above ground level with a visibility of one-half mile in light snow and dense fog, winds East at 18 mph.
Investigators noted that the pilot filed a flight plan with an en route altitude of 8,000 feet, which is below the minimum required altitude for the flight. The airplane was eventually contacted and it was discovered to be
flying at 12,000 feet on instruments near Wink, Texas. The pilot contacted Albuquerque for landing instructions at
0236 MWT, reporting 15 minutes out at 13,000 feet. the airplane was unable to receive the landing instructions from Kirtland Army Air Field and they were relayed to the B-24 by Albuquerque ATC and were acknowledged at 0304. Moments later the B-24 crashed into the mountain on a gentle slope at an approximate elevation of 11,000 feet, about one mile north of Mount Taylor. All on board were killed instantly. Investigators noted that the precise time of the accident could not be established because the crewmembers watches that were recovered were found to be in operating condition and presumably had not been stopped by the impact.*
The crew members killed in the crash were~
2nd Lt Jack Clarence Elliott, O-805420, Instructor Pilot, from Danville IL
2nd Lt Ralph Thomas Byers, O-812221, Pilot, from Cleveland Co NC
2nd Lt Harold E Anderson 2L, Pilot, O-812205, from Knox Co IL
2nd Lt Roy H Brasher, O-812215, Pilot, from Lake Co IN
2nd Lt Perry Owen Corley, O-813664, Co-Pilot, from AR
Sgt Edwin O Bowman, 34268644, Flight Engineer, from Coffee Co GA
Cpl Frederick A Rausch, 34530396, Passenger, from Pasco Co FL
Cpl Antonio D Posillico/Anthony D Posellico, 32226445, Passenger, from Schenectady NY
TSgt Hubert C Perez, 19050536, Passenger, from Los Angeles CA
*crash incident summary courtesy of Anthony J Mireles
"closed conditions" with a ceiling of 300 feet above ground level with a visibility of one-half mile in light snow and dense fog, winds East at 18 mph.
Investigators noted that the pilot filed a flight plan with an en route altitude of 8,000 feet, which is below the minimum required altitude for the flight. The airplane was eventually contacted and it was discovered to be
flying at 12,000 feet on instruments near Wink, Texas. The pilot contacted Albuquerque for landing instructions at
0236 MWT, reporting 15 minutes out at 13,000 feet. the airplane was unable to receive the landing instructions from Kirtland Army Air Field and they were relayed to the B-24 by Albuquerque ATC and were acknowledged at 0304. Moments later the B-24 crashed into the mountain on a gentle slope at an approximate elevation of 11,000 feet, about one mile north of Mount Taylor. All on board were killed instantly. Investigators noted that the precise time of the accident could not be established because the crewmembers watches that were recovered were found to be in operating condition and presumably had not been stopped by the impact.*
The crew members killed in the crash were~
2nd Lt Jack Clarence Elliott, O-805420, Instructor Pilot, from Danville IL
2nd Lt Ralph Thomas Byers, O-812221, Pilot, from Cleveland Co NC
2nd Lt Harold E Anderson 2L, Pilot, O-812205, from Knox Co IL
2nd Lt Roy H Brasher, O-812215, Pilot, from Lake Co IN
2nd Lt Perry Owen Corley, O-813664, Co-Pilot, from AR
Sgt Edwin O Bowman, 34268644, Flight Engineer, from Coffee Co GA
Cpl Frederick A Rausch, 34530396, Passenger, from Pasco Co FL
Cpl Antonio D Posillico/Anthony D Posellico, 32226445, Passenger, from Schenectady NY
TSgt Hubert C Perez, 19050536, Passenger, from Los Angeles CA
*crash incident summary courtesy of Anthony J Mireles
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