41-11887

Safety history

• January 18, 1943Accident

  While performing a night training mission out from Davis-Monthan AFB, the four engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed on Bassett Peak located in the Galiuro Mountains, northeast of Tucson. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the airplane nor the crew was found. The wreckage was spotted almost two months later in an isolated area. All 11 crew members were killed. Crew: 2nd Lt John L. Wasson, pilot, 2nd Lt Charles A. Beaucond, copilot, Pvt Henry C. Pete

  Consolidated B-24 Liberator · 11 fatalities

  The official cause of the accident was attributed to a pilot error, although the accident report indicated that the tail section was not found in the wreckage. The tail was found many years later several km away. Thus, speculation is that an inflight structural failure may have caused the crash. Full accident record