Consolidated B-24J 42-100322 of the 714th BS / 448th BG, USAAF, crashed on Burn Fell near Slaidburn on the 2nd January 1945

Consolidated B-24 Liberator at the RAF Museum

 

Carl H. Holt 1st Lieutenant Pilot Injured
Allen H. Carey 2nd Lieutenant Co-pilot Injured
Marshall K. Dan 2nd Lieutenant Navigator Injured
Donald Zeldin Technical Sergeant Flight Engineer Injured
Oscar W. Olson Sergeant Radio Operator Injured
John J. Madden Sergeant Passenger –  Flight Engineer Injured
Joseph B. Brown 2nd Lieutenant Passenger – Pilot Injured
Richard G. Seymour 2nd Lieutenant Passenger – Pilot Injured
Francis M. Louthan Technical Sergeant Passenger – Radio Operator Injured
John C. Jacobs Sergeant Passenger – ? Injured
Bertram O. Chernow Staff Sergeant Passenger – Air Gunner Injured
Robert M. Brandon Sergeant Passenger – ? Injured
Mack S. Thomas Sergeant Passenger – ? Injured
Phillip Mazzagatti Technical Sergeant Passenger – Flight Engineer Killed
Orvie O. Casto 2nd Lieutenant Passenger – Navigator Killed
James E. Fields 1st Lieutenant Passenger – Bombardier Killed
Michael J. Hill Staff Sergeant Passenger – Air Gunner Injured
Cortland C. Crandall 2nd Lieutenant Passenger – Pilot Injured
Edgar E. Lyon Staff Sergeant Passenger – ? Killed

 

The aircraft was being ferried from Seething in Norfolk to BAD2 at Warton near Preston, most of the passengers were a second aircrew who were going to fly another aircraft back to Seething. The crew had become disorientated in low cloud and snow showers, they obtained a radio fix on Warton and the pilot turned onto the appropriate heading to get to Warton, after the accident it was determined that the fix was out by 20 miles, and while flying at just 1500ft the aircraft flew into the top of Burn Fell, slewed round demolishing a stone wall and bursting into flames.  Most of the aircraft was reduced to ashes, with photographs from the accident report (taken from the air) showing no recognisable parts, only a large burnt scar on an otherwise snow covered hill.  Fortunately, of the 19 aircrew onboard 15 of them survived the crash and subsequent fire.

Crash site of B-24J 42-100322 on Burn Fell, near Slaidburn, Lancashire
On both sides of the wall that the aircraft demolished are patches of burnt metal, until around 2000 the two main undercarriage oleos where in this scar.
1st Lieutenant Cortland Crandall, survivor of the crash on Burn Fell
Above is a photograph of 1st Lt Cortland Crandall, one of the passengers onboard the aircraft.
Image: Courtland Crandall & Pat Everson (448th BG Collection,Seething) Via David Earl.
Burnt scar at the crash site of B-24J 42-100322 on Burn Fell near Slaidburn, Lancashire
On the opposite side of the wall is this much larger rock strewn patch again with lots of small and very burnt bits of metal and a large amount of broken glass, including quite a bit that has been melted.
Grave of passenger Staff Sergeant Edgar E. Lyon, killed in the crash on Burn Fell, at the Cambridge American Military Cemetery
One of the passengers who was killed, Staff Sergeant Edgar E. Lyon was buried at Cambridge American Military Cemetery.