Date:	Tuesday 25 April 1944
Time:
Type:	North American AT-24A Mitchell
Owner/operator:	United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
Registration:	43-3306
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	La Junta AAF, La Junta, CO -   United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Crashed on takeoff. ***Per accident report: 3 Occupants, 2 Students and 1 Instructor, All 3 Fatalities. " Left engine failed immediately after ship left ground on take off. Pilot failed to retard both throttles, so ship turned sharply to left and crashed into small warehouse, slightly injuring two civilians employed there" ( one male, one female). Propeller Scars still visible on concrete wall of warehouse (LCL - Colorado Aviation Archaeology). According to a Former Student & Instructor (Leo S.) on the base at the time of the accident, the Brass were trying too shorten the training time by having the students set in both pilot seats and the Instructor in the well behind them in the cockpit so they could get their necessary in-flight training hours faster. Leo S. noted that the controllers in the tower said they could see the instructor climbing out of the well reaching for the controls to try to save the plane. Afterwards, the policy shifted back to the original configuration; the Instructor and only 1 student at controls at a time.

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.asp
Army Air Force Accident Report and Interview with Leo S.; former B-25 Student and Flight Instructor at La Junta AAF; he is also in the Colorado Aviation Historical Society's Hall of Fame. I have a photo of him during the interview...

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Feb-2024 07:19	ASN	Updated [Other fatalities]