4 fatalities

Fatal crash during night training flight at Wilmington-New Castle Airfield (44-9026)

Wilmington-New Castle County, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On July 20, 1945, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster (registration 44-9026) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Wilmington-New Castle County, United States of America during landing or approach. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Investigations were unable to determine the cause of the accident. 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 four-crew aircraft crashed in flames after flying over the runway during a local training and transition flight at Wilmington-New Castle Airfield, resulting in the deaths of all personnel on board.

What happened

The incident occurred during a night operation when the crew departed Wilmington-New Castle Airfield at 0322 local time. The mission was designated as a local training and transition flight. After completing several approaches and maneuvers in the vicinity, the aircraft was in the process of executing another approach. During this final phase, the plane flew over the intended runway and subsequently crashed into the ground, immediately catching fire. All four members of the crew were killed in the accident.

Findings

Official investigations were conducted to determine the specific factors leading to the event. However, authorities stated that they were unable to determine the cause of the accident based on the available evidence.