3 fatalities

Training flight crash due to elevator trim misconfiguration (42-72211)

Presque Isle, United States of AmericaTakeoff (climb)

On September 7, 1944, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster (registration 42-72211) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Presque Isle, United States of America during takeoff. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by an improper configuration of the elevator trim tab which led to a loss of control during a turn. 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 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A local training flight ended in a fatal accident after the aircraft lost control during initial climb and crashed into a field, killing all three crew members.

What happened

The incident occurred during a routine local training exercise. After departing from runway 19, the aircraft entered its initial climb phase. At an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet, the pilot initiated a left turn with a bank angle of about 30 degrees. During this maneuver, control of the aircraft was lost, leading to an aerodynamic stall. The plane subsequently crashed into a potato field situated roughly 4 kilometers from the airfield. All three crew members were killed in the impact.

Findings

Investigation into the accident indicated that the loss of control was not due to mechanical failure or pilot error in technique, but rather a setup issue prior to the maneuver. The official findings concluded that an improper configuration of the elevator trim tab was the primary factor leading to the stall and subsequent crash.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by an improper configuration of the elevator trim tab which led to a loss of control during a turn.