Incident Overview
A pair of United States Air Force Boeing KB-29P Superfortresses were involved in a mid-air collision during a training mission originating from RAF Sculthorpe. The aircraft were en route to a training area south of France when the accident occurred.
Collision and Crash
While cruising at an altitude of 15,000 feet in poor weather conditions that reduced visibility, the first KB-29P Superfortress experienced a loss of speed. A second KB-29P Superfortress, registered 44-83906 and carrying a crew of nine, then struck the first aircraft. Both airplanes subsequently went out of control, dove into the ground, and crashed in a field near Morigny, approximately 25 kilometers south of Saint-Lô.
Casualties and Survivors
The first aircraft carried a crew of ten; only one crewmember survived. On the second aircraft, five crewmembers survived, while four were killed. It appears that some of the survivors were able to bail out before impact.
Official Findings
The probable cause of the accident, as stated in the official investigation, was an in-flight collision following a loss of speed of the first aircraft for undetermined reason.