No fatalities

B-29 Superfortress Downed by North Korean Fighters Over Yellow Sea (44-69866)

Yellow Sea, WorldFlight

On July 12, 1950, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress (registration 44-69866) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Yellow Sea, World in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Shot down by three North Korean fighters. 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 B-29 Superfortress on a mission over South Korea was attacked by three North Korean Yak-9 fighters near Seoul. The crew abandoned the aircraft over the Yellow Sea, and all 13 occupants were rescued. It was the first B-29 shot down by enemy fire in the Korean War.

Incident Overview

A B-29 Superfortress, departing from Kadena Air Force Base, was on a mission over South Korea. While cruising in the region of Seoul, the heavy bomber came under attack by three pilots of the North Korean Air Force (KPAFAC) flying Yakovlev Yak-9 aircraft. The crew managed to leave the area, but while over the Yellow Sea, they were forced to abandon the airplane. The B-29 subsequently dove into the sea and crashed.

Rescue

All 13 occupants of the aircraft were rescued. This event marked the first instance of a B-29 Superfortress being shot down by enemy fire during the Korean War.

Probable Cause

The official findings state that the aircraft was shot down by three North Korean fighters.