FlightFinder
Check my flight
5 fatalities

Night Reconnaissance Aircraft Disappears Near Busan East Airbase (44-34417)

Kangdong, North KoreaFlight

On March 21, 1952, a Douglas A-26 Invader (registration 44-34417) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Kangdong, North Korea in flight. 5 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A military aircraft conducting a night reconnaissance mission from Busan East Airbase disappeared in unclear circumstances after its last radio transmission at 2105LT. No wreckage or crew members were recovered.

Incident Overview and Crew Details A military aircraft was operating a night reconnaissance mission departing from Busan East Airbase when it disappeared under unclear circumstances. The final communication from the aircraft occurred at 2105LT, when the radio operator transmitted to the base. Following this transmission, the aircraft was lost, and no trace of the aircraft or its crew was subsequently found. The crew consisted of five personnel: 1st Lt Raymond Bennett Jr., Cpt Cecil W. Brandsted, Cpt Wilford T. Cook, A1C Wayne E. Lewis, and 1st Lt John H. Zimmerlee Jr. The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, exact date, operator, or the cause of the disappearance.

Related events

Same operator

More accident analyses