5 fatalities

Heavy Bomber Crashes into Sea West of Kaesŏng Following Engine Fire; Five Killed (44-69803)

Kaesŏng, North KoreaFlight

On February 28, 1952, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress (registration 44-69803) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Kaesŏng, North Korea in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Engine failure. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A heavy bomber suffered an engine fire en route and crashed into the sea west of Kaesŏng. Seven crew members bailed out and were rescued, while five others were killed. Official cause: engine failure.

Accident

A heavy bomber en route experienced engine problems, and one engine caught fire. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the sea a few kilometers west of Kaesŏng. Seven crew members were able to bail out and were later rescued, while five others were killed in the crash.

Crew

The crew consisted of twelve members: S/Sgt Thomas C. Baker, Cpt Osborne T. Carlisle (killed), 1st Lt James W. Carney (killed), A2C Willard M. Denn, 1st Lt Carl G. Happ Jr. (killed), Sgt James W. Hendricks (killed), Sgt Theodore G. Lincoln, Cpt Joseph R. Manion, 1st Lt William R. Mowder, 2nd Lt Lawrence A. Nelson, Sgt Lloyd D. Smith (killed), and S/Sgt Herbert Vonderkall.

Investigation

The official probable cause of the accident was determined to be engine failure.