No fatalities

Unplanned aircraft abandonment near Lapine, Alabama (51-2665)

Lapine, United States of AmericaFlight

On April 1, 1955, a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (registration 51-2665) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Lapine, United States of America in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An unforeseen mid-flight emergency forced the crew to exit the aircraft before it crashed. 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 flight crew was forced to evacuate an aircraft mid-flight, resulting in a crash in a wooded area near Lapine.

What happened

During the course of a flight, the crew encountered an unforeseen emergency that necessitated an immediate abandonment of the aircraft. Following the departure of the occupants, the plane entered a steep descent and impacted the terrain within a forested region situated approximately two miles east of Lapine.

Although the impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe, there were no casualties reported. All six crew members managed to exit the aircraft prior to the crash and sustained no injuries during the event.

Findings

  • The incident was precipitated by an unexpected situation occurring while the aircraft was in flight.
  • The loss of control and subsequent dive into the ground occurred after the crew had already vacated the vessel.

Probable cause

An unforeseen mid-flight emergency forced the crew to exit the aircraft before it crashed.