Date:	Saturday 5 April 1952
Time:
Type:	Boeing WB-29 Superfortress
Owner/operator:	55th SRSqn /AWS USAF
Registration:	44-87756
MSN:	12559
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	3 mi from McClellan AFB, NE of Sacramento, CA -   United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	McClellan AFB, California
Destination airport:	McClellan AFB, California
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Built as Boeing B-29-90-BW Superfortress 44-87756. Converted to WB-29. Assigned to 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Air Weather Service, McClellan AFB, California

Written off (destroyed) April 5, 1952: The crew was returning to his base at McClellan AFB after a 19 hour mission consisting of weather reports. On final approach, on of the propellers went into reverse. The airplane went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion about three miles short of runway at McClellan AFB, North-East of Sacramento, California. The four-engine plane apparently caught fire in the air and smashed into a pasture at a 45-degree angle. The main sections of the craft remained intact, but the wreckage was a roaring mass of flames by the time crash crews from the air base reached the scene minutes later. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 10 crew members were killed.

Crew:
Maj Bruce Acebedo,
S/Sgt Carlton J. Fose,
M/Sgt Edwin M. Fultz,
Cpt Guilford A. Hopkins,
S/Sgt. Elbert E. King,
Cpt Robert L. Kizer,
2nd Lt August I. Lam,
S/Sgt Hayden C. Schulz,
T/Sgt George R. Shook,
Cpt Leonard B. Winstead.

Cause: Failure of a propeller which went into reverse on final approach.

1. Passauer Neue Presse 7 April 1952, p.2
2. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_6.htm]l
4. http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/b29s/p_b29s_losses_damage.htm
5. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1952/archives/crash-of-a-boeing-b-29-90-bw-superfortress-in-mcclellan-afb-10-killed/]
6. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57937396
7. https://www.gendisasters.com/california/11789/mcclellan-air-base-ca-air-force-weather-plane-apr-1952

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Jun-2013 16:06	Uli Elch	Added
05-Jun-2013 16:21	Uli Elch	Updated [Date, Registration, Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Phase, Destination airport, Damage, Narrative]
07-Oct-2014 19:32	TB	Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
13-Jun-2017 22:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
16-Feb-2021 21:10	Pong	Updated [Operator, Operator]
17-Sep-2023 04:36	Ron Averes	Updated [[Operator, Operator]]