9 fatalities

1952-02-19: Curtiss C-46 Commando (44-78038) — United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) — North Korea, North Korea

North Korea, North KoreaFlight

On February 19, 1952, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 44-78038) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near North Korea, North Korea in flight. 9 people were killed. 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 1781255047Data APIEditorial standards

A crew of ten on a night intrusion mission disappeared after last radio contact. Nine were believed killed, and one became a prisoner of war. Reports suggest a double agent detonated a grenade prior to bail-out.

Incident

The crew was conducting a night intrusion mission. The last radio contact was made at 0202 local time, after which the aircraft disappeared under unknown circumstances. No distress signals or further communications were received. The reasons for the disappearance remain unclear.

Casualties and Survivor

Of the ten crew members on board, nine were believed to have been killed. The deceased are Captain Lawrence E. Burger, Corporal Dean R. Crabb, First Lieutenant John F. Dick, First Lieutenant Dennis F. Haley, Master Sergeant David T. Harrison, Captain Guy O. King, First Lieutenant Eugene E. Layer, Staff Sergeant Thomas W. Rowden, and Corporal George G. Tatarakis. The sole survivor, Sergeant Leo A. Poldervaart, was captured and became a prisoner of war. He was repatriated on 31 August 1953.

Allegations

According to reports, it is believed that a double agent detonated a grenade before the crew attempted to bail out. No further details about the identity of the alleged double agent or the specific events leading to the disappearance have been provided.