What happened
During a local training exercise departing from George AFB, two twin-engine aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision. One of the aircraft, a Douglas B-26B Invader with registration 44-34174, struck another US Air Force B-26B Invader under undetermined circumstances.
Following the impact, both aircraft became uncontrollable and descended into the El Mirage desert region, situated approximately 12 miles northwest of George AFB. The accident resulted in a total of three fatalities. On the first aircraft, both crew members perished in the crash. On the second aircraft, one occupant was killed while a crewman managed to survive the impact.
Findings
The exact circumstances surrounding the initial contact between the two aircraft remain unknown.