Date:	Thursday 13 November 1947
Time:	21:45 LT
Type:	Boeing B-29A Superfortress
Owner/operator:	343rd BSqn /98th BGp USAF
Registration:	44-62063
MSN:	11540
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 10
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Dead Man Creek Road, 1 mile W of Bald Knob, Mount Spokane, Washington -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Fairchild AFB, Spokane, Washington (KSA/KSKA)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Boeing B-29A-60-BN Superfortress 44-62063: Assigned to 93rd Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group, Andersen AFB, Guam. Named ‘Big Shmoo’. Re-Assigned to 343rd Bomb Squadron, 98th Bomb Group, Spokane AAF, Washington.

Written off (destroyed) November 13, 1947: Crashed in a mountainous area one mile West of Bald Knob on Mount Spokane alongside Dead Man Creek Road, located some 30 miles northeast of Spokane, Washington (at approximate Coordinates: 47°55′25″N 117°06′44″W). Accident was attributed to a CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain). Five crew members were killed and five others were injured, two seriously.

The bomber cut a swath through trees and brush as it neared the ground. It was one of three flying in formation on a local training mission. The other aircraft circled the crash scene and radioed news of the incident back to base. The flying conditions were poor with a snowstorm accompanied by fog. Shortly after the crash the weather cleared. The last victim's body was recovered on Sunday morning 16 November 1947. According to the following published source (see link #7):

"Generally speaking, ski resorts follow a theme when naming their ski runs or trails, but a quick glance at the Mount Spokane ski map suggests they bucked that idea long ago. No doubt the trail names emerged as the area grew and the resort evolved, however one run secured its name through a distinct tragedy.

On the far southern end of the ski area boundary, near the base of the main bald spot that faces the city, a skier can cruise down the enjoyable, short and engaging B-29. This run earned its name from a terrible accident in November of 1947 in which a Boeing B-29 Superfortress was flying too low over Mount Spokane in bad weather and crashed.

John Linder and Tom Kinzer were plowing the road up to the old ski area on Mount Spokane that night. A few minutes in either direction, and the plane might have hit them. According to the Spokane Daily Chronicle, the Sheriff said, “Linder and Kinzer went immediately to the crash, but found no sign of life. They went about five miles down the mountain to the lodge to a telephone and notified the sheriff’s office.” When Linder and Kinzer returned to the crash site, they “heard men calling for help, “ and they found two of them alive. The two survivors were treated at the ski lodge and then transported to the hospital.

1. El Litoral 14 November 1947, page 1
2. "B-29 Crashes Into Mount Spokane; Five Killed, Two Hurt", The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Washington, Friday 14 November 1947, Volume 65, Number 184, pages 1, 6.
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/1947/archives/crash-of-a-boeing-b-29a-60-bn-superfortress-near-spokane-5-killed/]
5. Nose art: http://b29s.koreanwar-educator.org/noseart/bigschmoo.JPG
6. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbahb.asp?HB=af&offset=20250
7. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1947/11/14/page/1/article/b-29-crashes-on-mount-spokane-5-killed-2-hurt
8. https://outthereoutdoors.com/mt-spokane-plane-crashes-a-backcountry-adventure/
9. http://spokanehistorical.org/items/show/706
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_military_aircraft_(1945%E2%80%9349)#1947
11. "The Logan Daily News" Logan, Ohio, Friday, November 14, 1947 Page 1 at https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/84992426/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Feb-2015 09:48	TB	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Source]
27-Jun-2017 00:27	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
06-Apr-2020 09:04	Reno Raines	Updated [Operator, Operator]