No fatalities

Crew Abandons Aircraft Over East China Sea After Landing Gear Malfunction; Aircraft Shot Down by F-80C (42-93903)

East China Sea, WorldFlight

On June 16, 1950, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress (registration 42-93903) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near East China Sea, World in flight. No fatalities were reported. 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

During approach to Kadena AFB, a crew was unable to lower the landing gear. After multiple attempts, they flew over the East China Sea and bailed out. The aircraft was then shot down by an F-80C pilot and crashed into the sea. All occupants were rescued.

Incident Overview

After completing an uneventful mission, the crew of an aircraft was returning to Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa. During the approach, the pilot found that the landing gear could not be lowered. Despite several attempts, the undercarriage remained retracted. The crew then decided to leave the area and proceeded over the East China Sea to abandon the aircraft.

Abandonment and Destruction

All crew members successfully bailed out of the aircraft. Following their departure, a Lockheed F-80C Shooting Star pilot shot down the unmanned aircraft, which subsequently crashed into the sea. All occupants of the aircraft were rescued.