4 fatalities

1951-06-03: Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (48-0350) — United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) — Inje, South Korea

Inje, South KoreaFlight

On June 3, 1951, a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (registration 48-0350) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Inje, South Korea in flight. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Mistakenly shot down by US artillery fire. 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 1781256295Data APIEditorial standards

Two USAF C-119 aircraft collided after one was struck by US artillery fire during a supply mission over Inje District, killing all eleven crew members.

Incident

Two United States Air Force C-119 transport aircraft were conducting a supply mission involving the aerial delivery of ammunition over the Inje District. The aircraft were flying side by side as they approached the designated drop zone. One of the aircraft, registration 49-0123, had a crew of seven. The other aircraft was registered as 48-0350.

Collision

During the approach, the aircraft 49-0123 was hit by US artillery fire. The projectile struck the tail of the aircraft, causing it to lose control. It then collided with the second aircraft, 48-0350. Both aircraft subsequently crashed.

Casualties

All eleven crew members on board the two aircraft were killed in the accident. The crew of the first aircraft included Sgt Floyd N. Alexander, 1st Lt Eric W. Anderson, 1st Lt John M. Gilbert, and S/Sgt Houston N. Rich.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined that the aircraft were mistakenly shot down by US artillery fire.