Sergeant Botelho was one of ten airmen killed when B-24J Liberator #42-73358 crashed into a mountainside during a nighttime navigational training flight, 25 miles southeast of Muroc Army Airfield, California.
The aircrew had taken off from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air Force Base) for a nighttime navigational training flight to Kingman, Arizona, and back to the Muroc Bombing Range. Unable to establish radio contact with the bombing range controller, the pilot was ordered by Air Traffic Control to climb to 9,000 feet and maintain a holding pattern. At 03:50, the pilot radioed and requested landing instructions. ATC declined his request, as they had another priority B-24 that was low on fuel that needed to land first, and told the pilot to continue maintaining his pattern. At about 04:00 hours, the bomber lost elevation and collided with a small mountain, 25 miles southeast of Muroc airfield, instantly killing the ten-man crew, crashing at about the 4,500 foot level. Investigation did not determine why the airplane lost elevation, but icing could have been an issue.
The airmen lost were:
2nd Lt. Frederick Bauscher, Jr, O-691216, NY, Pilot
2nd Lt. Allen J Haupenthal, O-697484, NY, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Daniel S Logan, O-693336, WA, Bombardier
2nd Lt. Alton L Snell, O-698371, AL, Navigator
Sgt. Joseph F Ahlert, 36639427, AL, Flight Engineer
Sgt. Charles R Borrelli, 12191091, NY, Asst. Engineer
Sgt. Joseph A Botelho, Jr, 31304463, MA, Gunner
Sgt. Jesse H Carver, 14159740, MS, Asst. Engineer
Sgt. Trevor Hughes, 35049033, OH, Gunner
Sgt. Burton Moseley, 38443807, AR, Radio Operator
Served with the 382nd Bomber Group, 536th Bomber Squadron.
The aircrew had taken off from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air Force Base) for a nighttime navigational training flight to Kingman, Arizona, and back to the Muroc Bombing Range. Unable to establish radio contact with the bombing range controller, the pilot was ordered by Air Traffic Control to climb to 9,000 feet and maintain a holding pattern. At 03:50, the pilot radioed and requested landing instructions. ATC declined his request, as they had another priority B-24 that was low on fuel that needed to land first, and told the pilot to continue maintaining his pattern. At about 04:00 hours, the bomber lost elevation and collided with a small mountain, 25 miles southeast of Muroc airfield, instantly killing the ten-man crew, crashing at about the 4,500 foot level. Investigation did not determine why the airplane lost elevation, but icing could have been an issue.
The airmen lost were:
2nd Lt. Frederick Bauscher, Jr, O-691216, NY, Pilot
2nd Lt. Allen J Haupenthal, O-697484, NY, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Daniel S Logan, O-693336, WA, Bombardier
2nd Lt. Alton L Snell, O-698371, AL, Navigator
Sgt. Joseph F Ahlert, 36639427, AL, Flight Engineer
Sgt. Charles R Borrelli, 12191091, NY, Asst. Engineer
Sgt. Joseph A Botelho, Jr, 31304463, MA, Gunner
Sgt. Jesse H Carver, 14159740, MS, Asst. Engineer
Sgt. Trevor Hughes, 35049033, OH, Gunner
Sgt. Burton Moseley, 38443807, AR, Radio Operator
Served with the 382nd Bomber Group, 536th Bomber Squadron.
Sergeant Botelho was one of ten airmen killed when B-24J Liberator #42-73358 crashed into a mountainside during a nighttime navigational training flight, 25 miles southeast of Muroc Army Airfield, California.
The aircrew had taken off from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air Force Base) for a nighttime navigational training flight to Kingman, Arizona, and back to the Muroc Bombing Range. Unable to establish radio contact with the bombing range controller, the pilot was ordered by Air Traffic Control to climb to 9,000 feet and maintain a holding pattern. At 03:50, the pilot radioed and requested landing instructions. ATC declined his request, as they had another priority B-24 that was low on fuel that needed to land first, and told the pilot to continue maintaining his pattern. At about 04:00 hours, the bomber lost elevation and collided with a small mountain, 25 miles southeast of Muroc airfield, instantly killing the ten-man crew, crashing at about the 4,500 foot level. Investigation did not determine why the airplane lost elevation, but icing could have been an issue.
The airmen lost were:
2nd Lt. Frederick Bauscher, Jr, O-691216, NY, Pilot
2nd Lt. Allen J Haupenthal, O-697484, NY, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Daniel S Logan, O-693336, WA, Bombardier
2nd Lt. Alton L Snell, O-698371, AL, Navigator
Sgt. Joseph F Ahlert, 36639427, AL, Flight Engineer
Sgt. Charles R Borrelli, 12191091, NY, Asst. Engineer
Sgt. Joseph A Botelho, Jr, 31304463, MA, Gunner
Sgt. Jesse H Carver, 14159740, MS, Asst. Engineer
Sgt. Trevor Hughes, 35049033, OH, Gunner
Sgt. Burton Moseley, 38443807, AR, Radio Operator
Served with the 382nd Bomber Group, 536th Bomber Squadron.
The aircrew had taken off from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air Force Base) for a nighttime navigational training flight to Kingman, Arizona, and back to the Muroc Bombing Range. Unable to establish radio contact with the bombing range controller, the pilot was ordered by Air Traffic Control to climb to 9,000 feet and maintain a holding pattern. At 03:50, the pilot radioed and requested landing instructions. ATC declined his request, as they had another priority B-24 that was low on fuel that needed to land first, and told the pilot to continue maintaining his pattern. At about 04:00 hours, the bomber lost elevation and collided with a small mountain, 25 miles southeast of Muroc airfield, instantly killing the ten-man crew, crashing at about the 4,500 foot level. Investigation did not determine why the airplane lost elevation, but icing could have been an issue.
The airmen lost were:
2nd Lt. Frederick Bauscher, Jr, O-691216, NY, Pilot
2nd Lt. Allen J Haupenthal, O-697484, NY, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Daniel S Logan, O-693336, WA, Bombardier
2nd Lt. Alton L Snell, O-698371, AL, Navigator
Sgt. Joseph F Ahlert, 36639427, AL, Flight Engineer
Sgt. Charles R Borrelli, 12191091, NY, Asst. Engineer
Sgt. Joseph A Botelho, Jr, 31304463, MA, Gunner
Sgt. Jesse H Carver, 14159740, MS, Asst. Engineer
Sgt. Trevor Hughes, 35049033, OH, Gunner
Sgt. Burton Moseley, 38443807, AR, Radio Operator
Served with the 382nd Bomber Group, 536th Bomber Squadron.
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