Date:	Monday 8 September 1952
Time:
Type:	Boeing TB-29A Superfortress
Owner/operator:	112th TRSqn WADF USAF
Registration:	44-62299
MSN:	22776
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 13
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Mount Stuart, 4 miles North-North-East of Phillipsburg, Montana -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Hamilton AFB, California
Destination airport:	Great Falls AFB, Montana
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Boeing B-29A-70-BN Superfortress 44-62299: Modified to TB-29A. Assigned to 112th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Western Air Defense Force (WADF), Hamilton AFB, California.

Written off (destroyed) September 8, 1952: An engine failed en route, forcing the crew to bail out. The airplane crashed in a mountainous area located on Mount Stuart, about four miles northeast of Philipsburg, Montana and was destroyed upon impact. All 13 occupants were rescued. According to a contemporary newspaper report (see link #1)

"13 Parachute Safely From Burning B-29

PHILLIPSBURG, MONT. - (U.P.) - Thirteen crewmen bailed out of a crippled B-29 late Monday three miles north of here and watched the four-engined plane richochet off a mountain in flames and smoke.

Among those identified by Hamilton Air Force base as having bailed out was Master Sgt. Charles GUSTAFSON, 5413, 45th Ave. S., Minneapolis.

The plane, bound for Great Falls on a routine training flight from Hamilton Air Force base north of San Francisco, bounced over a heavily wooded area on 8,000-foot Mount Stuart apparently with one engine on fire. The crash caused a forest fire which was brought under control after a small area had burned.

The pilot, who refused to give his name, told housewife Mrs. Roy NEITZ that "all crewmen parachuted and were accounted for." He said all landed safely although at least one was injured seriously enough to be hospitalized."

The thirteen crew on board were:
Capt. Hartley C. DEWEY and
Lt. Leonard J. BERTOLI - injured slightly and were taken to the Phillipsburg hospital.
Sgt. Robert E. EVANS,
Sgt. Lewis R. PERRINGS,
S/Sgt. H. D. HANSEN,
S/Sgt. Sandy LEFTWICH
Airman Raymond L. MOODY;
Sgt. Robert YOUNG,
Airman Ray WRIGHT,
Corp. Robert McGRATH,
S/Sgt. D. M. SMITH
Capt. John E. OTMANS.
M/Sgt. C. L. GUSTAFSON.

1. The Montana Standard September 09, 1952 - Page 1 at https://newspaperarchive.com/montana-standard-sep-09-1952/
2. http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=/archivio/uni_1952_09/19530910_0006.pdf
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.h]tml
4. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1952/archives/crash-of-a-boeing-b-29a-70-bn-stratofortress-in-philipsburg/]
5. http://iagenweb.org/ringgold/military/people/mil_gustafson_msgtchasleonardfalk.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Jul-2012 02:45	Daniel Nole	Added
09-Dec-2013 20:42	TB	Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Country, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
12-Jun-2017 20:20	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
10-Feb-2021 09:44	Pink	Updated [Operator, Operator]