3 fatalities

Loss of aircraft to anti-aircraft fire (43-22390)

North Korea, North KoreaFlight

On December 4, 1952, a Douglas A-26 Invader (registration 43-22390) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near North Korea, North Korea in flight. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was destroyed by ground-based anti-aircraft weaponry. 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

An unidentified aircraft crashed following an engagement with anti-aircraft weaponry, resulting in the loss of all three crew members.

What happened

On a date unspecified by the source, an aircraft was lost following an encounter with ground-based defenses. The final communication received from the flight occurred at 2134 local time. During the incident, the aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire, which led to its subsequent crash.

Following the impact, a search was conducted, but no remains or traces of the three crew members were recovered from the site. The loss of the aircraft and the disappearance of the entire crew were confirmed after the final radio contact failed to follow the 2134LT transmission.

Findings

Official investigations concluded that the destruction of the aircraft was a direct result of being shot down by anti-aircraft fire.

Probable cause

The aircraft was destroyed by ground-based anti-aircraft weaponry.