3 fatalities

Night mission aircraft disappearance (44-34247)

North Korea, North KoreaFlight

On March 31, 1952, a Douglas A-26 Invader (registration 44-34247) 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 aircraft's disappearance remains undetermined as no wreckage was recovered. 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

A twin-engine aircraft vanished during a night-time intruder mission while approaching its intended target.

What happened

During a nighttime intruder mission, a twin engine aircraft disappeared while in the process of approaching its designated target. The aircraft went down under circumstances that remain unidentified. Following the disappearance, search efforts were unable to locate any wreckage or evidence regarding the crash site.

No trace of the airframe or the occupants was recovered after the incident. The flight was being conducted as part of a specialized mission profile involving low-light or stealthy approach parameters at the time of the loss.

Findings

At this time, the specific reasons for the disappearance are unknown. There is no information available regarding the exact location of the impact or any mechanical issues that may have been present during the final phase of the flight.

Probable cause

The cause of the aircraft's disappearance remains undetermined as no wreckage was recovered.