3 fatalities

Loss of aircraft during night mission (43-22447)

North Korea, North KoreaFlight

On January 13, 1953, a Douglas A-26 Invader (registration 43-22447) 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 cause of the disappearance remains undetermined following the loss of all radio communication during a night mission. 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 aircraft disappeared while conducting a night intruder mission after losing radio contact with ground stations.

What happened

During a scheduled night intruder mission, an aircraft vanished without a trace. The final communication from the flight was recorded at 0417 local time, at which point all radio contact with the crew was lost.

No further information regarding the location of the wreckage or the circumstances surrounding the disappearance has been established following the loss of signal. There were 3 fatalities involving the crew members on board during this mission.

Findings

The investigation into the incident is centered on the fact that the aircraft lost radio contact while operating under night conditions, leading to its subsequent disappearance.

Probable cause

The cause of the disappearance remains undetermined following the loss of all radio communication during a night mission.