B-24J Liberator 42-50890 crashed on September 15, 1944 on Humphrey's Peak in San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff, Arizona

Summary:  The pilot was cleared from Bakersfield, CA to Kirtland Field, NM at 12:58 am for a training night flight. The plane reported in over Ash Fork, Arizona at 3:02 am and was not heard from again. At approximately 3:20 am the Liberator impacted the west slope of the San Francisco Peaks at the 12,000 foot level. The location of the crash was 15 miles off course on the north side of the airways.

The crew:
2nd Lt Warren Crowther, Pilot Instructor
Flight Officer Rap Shipley
Flight Officer Clyce McCelvey
Flight Officer Charles McDonald
Flight Officer Patrick Pertuset
Flight Engineer S/Sgt James Hartzog
Student Engineer Pfc Hugh Brown
Radioman Cpl John Franke

I have visited this crash site many times over the years. Below are photos from various visits.

 


       
The Liberator impacted on the upper slope of the San Francisco peaks The tail turret. tail Turret. Wing flap.

 

       
Wing flap. Main wing with landing gear.  Large section of wing. The other main landing gear. Some years ago, a friend and I lifted the gear so it was fully extended into the sky. It is still extended today.

 

     
One of the Liberator's famous vertical stabilizers. Close up photo of the landing gear. Fuselage skin with stenciling.

 

       
Prop hub assembly Main landing gear.   Armor steel for pilot seat. 

 

       
Fuselage skin. Main gear. Pilots armored chair. One of my favorite photos- a shattered propellor assembly on the snow dusted mountain slope.

 

       
  Wing and retracted landing gear. The national insignia on the main wing. Headed down after the snowfall increased.

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