page_title: List of accidents and incidents involving military aircraft (1950–1954)
section_title: 1951
hierarchical_section_title: List of accidents and incidents involving military aircraft (1950–1954) / 1951
caption_attribution_description: Series of photos of a ramp strike of a U.S. Navy Grumman F9F-2 Panther from the Naval Air Test Center aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CVB-41) on 23 July 1951. Fortunately, on impact the cockpit section separated from the plane's fuselage and rolled forward on the flight deck saving the pilot, Cdr. George C. Duncan, from the fire. He only suffered minor injuries.
context_page_description: This is a list of notable accidents and incidents involving military aircraft grouped by the year in which the accident or incident occurred. Not all of the aircraft were in operation at the time. Combat losses are not included except for a very few cases denoted by singular circumstances.
context_section_description: 10 January
  Boeing B-50D-80-BO Superfortress, 48-0070, c/n 15879, of the Headquarters Squadron, 3077th Evaluation Group, Edwards AFB, California, piloted by Capt. William Alexander Bailey, Jr., and Maj. Gordon L. Payne, strikes a ridge in the Shadow Mountain range N of El Mirage Dry Lake, near Victorville, California, ~25 miles SE of Edwards AFB, while flying in overcast on approach to Edwards. All aboard are KWF. "In addition to Bailey and Payne, there were four Sergeants, and two civilians onboard. The sergeants were, Robert E. Mathusa, James H. Willingham, Lilburn N. Cate, and Carl A. Milhoan. The civilians were, C. A. White, and W. J. Christian. Both civilians worked for the Ryan Aircraft Co., and were classified as test engineers."
  11 January
  Boeing B-29-95-BW Superfortress bomber, 45-21771, c/n 13671, of the 3512th AMS, 3510th AMG, returning to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, after a seven-hour training flight, crashed 10 miles SW of Seguin, Texas. At 8,000 feet the pilot, Captain Norman A. Bivens, cut off the automatic pilot and began descending through an overcast, flying on instruments. Bivens reported losing all flight instruments and the aircraft became uncontrollable. Six of the crew members were killed, while five others parachuted to safety.
  15 January
  A Douglas B-26C, 44-35736, (built as an A-26C-45-DT), of the 168th Bomb Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard, based at O'Hare International Airport, suffers heavy icing conditions, attempts an emergency landing at NAS Glenview, Illinois, but explodes in midair just before landing, coming down in Northbrook along Willow Road, spreading wreckage over a half mile area. All five on board, pilot Capt. Myron A. Bourland, two other officers, and two enlisted men are killed. All victims were reported to be residents of the Chicago area.
  21 January
  Lockheed P2V-4 Neptune, BuNo 124227 , of VP-22, deployed to WestPac during the Korean War on 1 November 1950 and based at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, is lost this date due to starboard engine failure during takeoff. The P2V crashed and sank in 20 fathoms of water one mile off the end of the runway. There were 11 survivors and two crewmen were listed as missing (their bodies were later recovered). Crew: Pilot LCDR William R. McDowell (seriously injured), LT J. T. White (seriously injured), LT (jg) K. R. Kiddoo (minor injury), ENS W. E. Todd (minor injury), LCDR J. G. Thompson (seriously injured), ADC F. L. Gabbard (minor injury), AD2 J. H. Raby (missing), ALC W. M. Benson, Jr. (minor injury), AL3 B. G. Carter (missing), AT3 E. W. Ammons (minor injury), AT1 M. M. Iverson (minor injury), AO G. W. Wilt (minor injury), and AA C. D. Cowan (minor injury).
  28 January
  World War II fighter ace and test pilot Don S. Gentile is KWF Lockheed T-33A-1-LO Shooting Star, 49-905, of the 1053d AMS, 1050th AMG, which crashes at Forestville, Maryland, near Andrews AFB. Second crew also killed. Gentile Air Force Station, Kettering, Ohio, was named in his honor.
  31 January
  A Douglas C-54D-1-DC Skymaster, 282, c/n 10597, operated by the Força Aérea Portuguesa, crashes into the sea at 2303 hrs. while approaching Lajes Field, having taken off from Lisbon, Portugal, killing all 14 on board. Fatalities included two pilots, nine mechanics and three military personnel.
  14 February
  Major Raymond S. Wetmore, World War II ace (21.25 kills), and commander of the 59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is killed this date in the crash of North American F-86A-5-NA Sabre, 48-0149, c/n 151-43517  at age 27. After a cross-country flight from Los Angeles, California, to Otis AFB, he was on his final approach when his plane suddenly shot up skyward, and then turned towards the ground where it crashed. Raymond was killed instantly. He was reported to have said that he had trouble steering and ejecting from the plane. He was also reported to have said to the tower that, "I'm going to go up and bring it down in Wakeby Lake, so I don't hit any houses." When he died, he left a widow and four children.
  13 March
  1st Lt. Henry A. Crescibene su
caption: Cdr. Duncan's crash on USS Midway, 23 June 1951.
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