What happened
The aircraft departed Biggs AFB for a scheduled night training mission. Shortly after liftoff, the pilot lost control of the airplane as it failed to gain sufficient altitude. The bomber subsequently impacted rising, rough terrain near the airfield. This accident resulted in ten fatalities and one serious injury to the pilot.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the pilot was following another B-17 at a distance of approximately 30 seconds. After passing the end of the runway lights, the pilot could not see the horizon and relied on visual tracking of the lead aircraft's lights before switching to instrument flight. The lead aircraft's propeller turbulence caused the trailing bomber to drift to the right. Because the aircraft did not gain adequate elevation, it collided with the terrain. Investigators concluded that the failure to use landing lights during takeoff was a significant contributing factor, noting that their use might have allowed the pilot to see the horizon and avoid the crash.