1952 Tacoma C-54 crash

The Douglas C-54G military transport aircraft from the 1701st Air Transport Wing was performing a passenger flight from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Tacoma, Washington, transporting a group of military personnel with their families. There were 39 people on board (including 7 crew members), among them 7 women (5 of whom were civilians) and 8 children.^[1][2][3]

Just after midnight, while approaching McChord Field (near Tacoma), the crew requested weather data for Seattle-Tacoma Airport at 00:30. According to the data received, the region was experiencing fog, with visibility reaching ¾ mile (1.2 km), which was above the meteorological minimum. Therefore, the decision was made to land at McChord from the south side. However, as the aircraft descended to an altitude of 300 feet (approximately 91 meters), visibility sharply dropped to near zero. Consequently, at 00:48, the pilots reported aborting the approach and returning to their home base at Malmstrom Air Force Base (Great Falls, Montana).^[2][1][4]

A few minutes later, a call was received at the airbase from the sheriff of Lakewood, Washington stating that an air crash had occurred south of the city. Continuing northward, at 00:50, the "Douglas" struck trees and crashed into a field one and a half kilometers from the airfield. The fuselage split in two upon impact, debris scattered over two hundred yards, and the spilled fuel ignited, causing a significant fire.^[1]

Only three people were initially rescued at the scene: crew member 20-year-old Bobby Wilson, who suffered third-degree burns and internal injuries, passenger 23-year-old Officer Curtis Redd, and 8-year-old Joseph M. Iacovitti, who lost his father, mother, two brothers, and sister in the crash. However, on November 29, Wilson died from his injuries. Both surviving passengers also sustained severe injuries but managed to survive. In total, the air crash near Tacoma claimed 37 lives, completely destroying three families.^[2]

The crash attracted attention because it occurred just 8 days after the crash of a military C-124 in Alaska (which killed 52 people). Three weeks after the Tacoma C-54 crash, another military C-124 crashed near Moses Lake, Washington, also in Washington state, killing 87 people. In total, over four weeks in the northwestern United States, three consecutive military transport plane crashes occurred, claiming a total of 176 lives (52+37+87).^[1]

The commission investigating the crash was led by Brigadier General Richard J. O’Keefe (English: Richard J. O’Keefe), who was summoned from Norton Air Force Base (State of California). One of the aircraft's propellers was found a hundred yards from the main debris area, embedded vertically in the ground. An examination showed that the propeller was not rotating at the moment of impact. Witnesses reported seeing flames on the right wing or engine, but no reports of fire were received from the crew.^[1]

After all the investigations, the following sequence of events was established. When the crew encountered very thick fog during the approach and decided to divert to Malmstrom Air Base, the aircraft's nose was sharply raised to gain altitude, and the engines were set to maximum power. However, engine failure of No. 3 occurred unexpectedly, significantly reducing the overall thrust, and the aircraft could no longer climb, continuing to fly at low altitude. As it flew over a hill, the C-54 was flying very low when it struck two fir trees about 100 feet (approximately 30 meters) high, causing it to lose speed and subsequently crash to the ground.^[1]