ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 106921
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| Date: | Saturday 18 December 1943 |
| Time: | 14:45 |
| Type: |  Lockheed AT-18 Hudson |
| Owner/operator: | United States Army Air Force (USAAF) |
| Registration: | 42-55750 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 1846 Event Ave, San Antonio, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Sky Harbor Airport at Phoenix, Arizona |
| Kelly Field, San Antonio |
On 18 December 1943 two men of 4th Ferry Sqn, 2nd Ferry Group, USAAF, 2nd Lt Merle Elmore Carman (pilot) and Raul Munoz (co-pilot), were ferrying the AT-18 42-55750 from Las Vegas, Nevada, to the Army Air Field at Laredo, Texas. That morning at 0919 hrs they took off from Sky Harbor Airport at Phoenix, Arizona, and cleared to Midland, Texas. At 1313 hrs, the pilot changed his flight plan while in the air and was cleared by Wink, Texas, controllers to Kelly Field, San Antonio.
When the aircraft arrived at San Antonio, it was seen by eyewitnesses to fly over the southwest and southeast portions of San Antonio at extremely low altitudes. While in a turn from the northeast to the south, the AT-18 suddenly started into a 45-degree dive with engines apparently running wide open. It crashed at 1445 hrs into the street in front of the house at 1246 Avant Avenue. Almost immediately after contact with the ground, the airplane exploded. The southeast side of the house was blown away and the remainder of the house was set on fire by the explosion, resulting in the total loss of the house and household. Both pilots were killed but no one was injured on the ground.
The opinion of the Accident Classification Commitee that investigated this crash was that the airplane was placed in a stalled attitude in the turn and the pilot was unable to recover prior to the crash.
Sources:
http://www.aero-web.org/specs/lockheed/at-18.htm
"Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945. Volume 2, July 1943-July 1944", by Anthony J. Mireles. ISBN 0-7864-2789-2
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Dec1943S.htm
http://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/merle-elmore-carman_147873476
http://www.har.com/1246-avant-san-antonio-tx-78210/homevalue_467501
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Dec-2015 08:06 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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