Date:	Monday 3 December 1951
Time:	13:15
Type:	Boeing B-29A Superfortress
Owner/operator:	3417th AMSqn /3415th AMGp USAF
Registration:	44-61797
MSN:	11274
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 15
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	1.5 miles west of Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado -   United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado
Destination airport:	Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Boeing B-29A-45-BN Superfortress 44-61797: Departed Herington AAF, Kansas for PTO (Pacific Theater of Operations) 25 July 1945. Assigned to 5th Bomb Squadron, 9th Bomb Group. Named ‘20th Century Limited’. Returned to CONUS (CONtinental US) 10 April 1947 after 6 combat missions. Assigned to 500th Bomb Group. Assigned to 3417th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 3415th Aircraft Maintenance Group, Lowry AFB, Colorado.

Written off (destroyed) December 3, 1951: The crew was performing a liaison flight when an engine failed en route. The captain decided to divert to Lowry AFB in Denver for a safe landing. Unfortunately, on final approach, the heavy bomber stalled and smashed in flames in a residential area, near Eudora and Bayaud streets, located few hundred yards short of runway threshold. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and was destroyed by a post crash fire. Five houses were damaged and four others were destroyed. On the ground, six people (all military personnel) and one civilian, were injured as well as six crew members. Eight others were killed in the crash.

Crew:
Captain James W. Shanks, pilot,
1st Lt Robert H. Snure, co-pilot,
T/Sgt Robert F. Jarvis, gunnery instructor, KIA
T/Sgt Herbert Oeser, gunnery instructor, KIA
Cpl Richard P. Yukob, gunnery instructor, KIA
Pfc James E. Snyder, gunnery instructor, KIA
Pfc Ronald W. Wiersma, gunnery, KIA
Pfc William J. Ablondi, gunnery, KIA
Pfc Baxter Srber, gunnery, KIA
Pfc John R. Servic, gunnery. KIA
S/Sgt William A. Zippel,
Cpl Ray E. Widner,
Pfc Teddy D. Allen,
Pfc Joe D. Wiggins.

Injured were:
Captain JAMES W. SHANKS, 33, pilot of plane, 2929 Glencoe St., Denver, condition, fair.
First Lt. ROBERT H. SNURE, 27, Spokane, Wash., temporary residence 1733 Paris Street, Aurora, Colo., condition, critical.
S/Sgt. WILLIAM A. ZIPPEL, 29, of Baudette, Minn., condition, good.
Corporal RAY E. WIDNER, 19, of R.R. 3, Westby, Wis., condition, good.
Pfc. TEDDY D. ALLEN, 18, South Gate, Cal., condition, fair.
Pfc. JOE D. WIGGINS, 20, R.F.D. 6, Williamsburg, Va., condition, good.

The civilian who received major injuries was a housekeeper named Mrs. Murphy Tinsley

1. El Tiempo 4 December 1951, p.8
2. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.h]tml
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1951/archives/crash-of-a-boeing-b-29a-45-bn-superfortress-in-denver-8-killed/]
4. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbahb.asp?HB=af&offset=20275
5. http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/b29s/p_b29s_losses_damage.htm
6. http://www.gendisasters.com/colorado/9336/denver-co-bomber-crashes-homes-dec-1951
7. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1951/12/04/page/1/article/b-29-plows-into-five-denver-homes-8-killed-7-hurt
8. http://denverfirejournal.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/b-29-crash.html

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Apr-2014 18:00	TB	Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Source, Narrative]
15-Jun-2017 14:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
15-Jun-2017 14:44	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
15-Jun-2017 14:45	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
24-Feb-2020 16:27	Xindel XL	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]