"My father served in the RCAF and I saw your page on crashes of the north/Alaska/Canada.
He was in the tower at Fort Nelson, B.C. in 1943 - 44.
In a letter, he wrote about a plane that went down in Oct 1943.
He doesn't have any identification of the aircraft as to whether US or Canadian (both were in Fort Nelson and ferrying of US planes to Russia), but I thought I would pass along his description in case a crash site you find or already know about might fit this location and time period.
From the description you may be able to ascertain an approximate location. Because the plane went down without a pilot, it probably would not have been recoverable, besides being in the deep bush. 

This is what my father  wrote: 
F/L Fred N. Spackman posted to the tower in Fort Nelson, BC
"Crash near Fort Nelson  -Letter dates Oct 28, 1943 (crash on Oct 27)
Yesterday afternoon and today Fort Nelson has been a hive of activity. The planes have been coming and going steadily. A pilot baled out of his ship yesterday somewhere in the vicinity of Nelson and he has been the object of a very intensive search. I don’t think that this has been made public yet but I don’t think I would be giving away any military secrets to tell you about it.

Winchester was on duty yesterday when a ship called the range and said he had only 5 minutes of gas left. Winchester had the range tell the pilot to turn to tower frequency for instructions.
By the time the pilot was in contact with tower the five minute was almost up... The pilot was lost so he could not find his position. Winchester didn’t have much of a chance to talk to him.
About a minute after he had made contact the pilot called and said, “I’m baling out-right now.”
And that is the last we have heard from the pilot...

As far as I know the pilot was cleared to Watson Lake and when the weather closed in there he had to come back to Nelson.
For some reason or other he became lost and then ran short of gas. We are certain that he is within thirty miles of Nelson from the fact that his radio signals were good.
The search went on yesterday afternoon, all night last night, all day today and they are still searching.
No one knows why the pilot became lost and no one knows why he should have run short of gas so soon. But he did and now he is lost somewhere in the bush.

Nov 3, 1943
By the way, the search for the pilot is all over. He walked into operations last night!
He parachuted from his plane about seventy miles south of here. Luckily he encountered a white trapper and the trapper took care of him and brought him up the River to Nelson. They had to walk all the way.
The pilot looked tired and had a week’s growth of beard but was well and unhurt.
That is a good and somewhat lucky ending to the story of the missing pilot! ☺"

Regards, 
Daphne Hayes

Notes to this:
No British Colombia crashes detailed on ASN aviation-safety.net/ for date 27Oct1943 but found it on their Wikibase https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/105033 - Type: Douglas A-20G Havoc of the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). Registration: 42-86838 MSN: ???
Fatalities: Fatalities: - Occupants: - Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location: Fort Nelson/ 75mi SE (Canada)
Phase: ??? Nature: Military - Departure airport: ??? Destination airport: ???
Narrative: Crashed; crew bailed out.

This is from Joe Baugher's (RIP) website for serials 42-86792/86887 Lend-Lease to USSR:
'42-86838 (7/AT) MIA 10/12/43 ALASKA.'
So date and location may not be quite correct her, but Joe has passed on and I don't know if anyone is updating his website...

Daphne Hayes wrote me this follow up09Mar24): "With the aircraft information you found, I did some sleuthing today and found the MACR for the crash as well as a couple of newspaper articles.
Yes, the pilots name is Lt. Donald E. Billings.
On Ancestry, I found a border crossing entry for the Captain Lt. Donald E. Billngs and crew, in 1949, so he was still serving at that time and died in 1998.
He was born in 1917 in Minnesota and was serving in the 90th Squadron 7th Ferrying Group out of Great Falls, MT.
His marriage record shows he was married in Great Falls on 06Sep1943, so just weeks before the crash, as the one news article notes!
This all confirms that we have the right information about the dates, the aircraft, the location and now the pilot's name. See attached page 4 of the MACR, the 1949 immigration document and 2 newspaper articles about his crash experience. His final destination was Fairbanks, Alaska."

I am taking a few liberties on this particular wreck, because this is not in the far up in the Arctic North, but rather in a remote part of British Columbia. Its remoteness is a key factor here but also a tribute to the the endeavour of a rather intrepid young man (and equally so can be said for his partner) to head out in the wilderness!.

This post, 'Operation Annette', was shared on Facebook in 08Aug2017, but I came across it in Jan.2019.

Grumman HU-16E Albatross, 7237 (c/n G-324)

This item was shared by Christopher Lennie in Aug.2018

DC-3 crashsite 30 miles south of Stokes Point
Chris wrote: "Looks like I came across a DC-3 crash". Story is it was on a resupply flight from arctic village
to DEW line site Bar-B (Stokes Point) with no fatalities. But I’m unable to confirm this story.... Can you?"

"I took these photos yesterday (12Aug2018); the info was word of mouth, local rumours."
Compared to a much smaller photo (below) it seems the fuselage was broken in two, the aft section has disappeared.

Iinitially I had trouble finding the location on Google Maps and Google Earth Pro of Stokes Point (Airport),
but Wikipedia provided the coördinates:

Chris: "This wreck is at 69.13N 139.20W, which is east of the firth river, not west of it and south of Herschel.

EMAIL me (RL) for any more information or photos you may be able to provide regarding this event; thank you.

Ken Ettie wrote me in Feb.2010:
"In my career, as a Canadian Flight Service Specialist, I have been involved in SAR operations many times. This involved co-ordinating with the canadian military Search and Rescue out of Trenton and Victoria.
While talking with one of the officers from the Victoria unit, he informed me that they have a data bank of most of the Canadian crash sites that have been reported and investigated over the years. Have you ever approached them to see if they would share this information?" (No, I have not - Webmaster)

"Additionally, having perused your website, I did not see mention of the DC-3 that is sitting in the Tundra off the end of the Sachs Harbour runway or of the Lancaster bomber Avro Lincoln (correction by Ken Ettie) that sits in the lake at Watson Lake, Yukon.
Apparently there is also a B-17 in a lake, north east of Whitehorse (was the subject of a hush-hush recovery attempt about 10 yeras ago, allegedly). It is supposedly quite intact.

There is also a Goose or Gosling at the bottom of a pot hole lake near Beaver Creek and was checked out by divers. It apparently still had all of its contents, including unopened bottles of wine. It is frequently reported during search and rescue ops, as are the two DC-3s that have been mentioned on your web site."
Ken (NAV CANADA retired)

Reactions welcome EMAIL (but sure to state the -url- (link) and subject!!!)

Ken Ettie also wrote me in june 2017, making me aware of this 2009 event:
RCMP seize salvaged bomber -by Tristin Hopper, 05Jun2009
Part of the text reproduced here (I have no photos to share):
"An Alberta couple’s attempt to salvage a piece of Second World War aviation history has been cut short by Yukon authorities.
Early this week, RCMP officials seized the nose of a B-26 Martin Marauder that the couple had salvaged from Watson Lake.
They did not have a permit or permission to salvage or remove wreckage from the area, the RCMP declared.
The RCMP and heritage officials agreed to seize the artifact before it could be moved out of the territory.

Several years ago, private salvagers pulled a P-39 Airacobra out of Carpenter Lake, NWT, but were stopped by government officials before they reached the US border.
Old airplanes are hot commodities these days.
After a year of legal wranglings, the Airacobra was successfully transferred to a US-based restoration facility.
More than 7.000 US-built planes were flown through the Yukon en route to the Soviet Union during the WW2.

The salvaged B-26 was part of a flight of six Siberia-bound aircraft that set out in January 1942.
The crew was quickly rescued, the wrecked plane was stripped for parts and, when the spring melt came, it broke through the ice and sank to the bottom.

Another B-26 crashed in Whitehorse, where it now lies buried under the runway.
Only one of the original six Marauders made it safely to Fairbanks.
Of the aircraft that came down on the BC-Yukon border, all 3 have found their way into the hands of collectors.
One has been restored to flight capability and is housed at the 'Fantasy of Flight museum' in Polk, Florida.
The 2 others are being restored at sites in Pima, Florida California, and Akron, Ohio.
Watson Lake’s B-26 belongs in a Yukon museum, rather than a museum down south.

Watson Lake is a key target for vintage-aircraft hunters, mainly because of the area’s sheer volume of air crashes."

Doug Davidge sent me this photo and email in June 2014:
"I came across the email from Mr. Ken Ettie in 2010. I don’t know Ken at all, but was intrigued by his comments about a B-17 in a lake NE of Whitehorse.  I am not sure where this could be? 
A B-17 crash landed SW of Whitehorse, on Bennett Lake near Carcross (1940s), but it was later retrieved from shallow waters. 
Attached is my most recent photo of a B-17 crash near Coffee Creek, Yukon (1952), at high elevation south of Dawson City. This photo was taken yesterday (28Jun14 - Webmaster), while working in the area.
This Boeing B-17 was taking part in a search for a RCAF Mitchell that had gone missing the summer of 1952.

And here is a 2017 response to the B-17 at Bennett (or Bennet) Lake, also by Ken Ettie, he emailed me this links:

From: www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/histoires_de_chez_nous-community_memories/.........
Yukon Transportation Museum, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

---

Robert Holden responded Jan.2015: "With reference to a downed B-25 Mitchell bomber near Whitehorse, YT in 1952. I was stationed there in 1952 with the RCMP.  We received an alert regarding this plane and I was a spotter, I believe on a Lancaster, for two days. Snow conditions made it impossible to see.
I had a particular interest in the search as the pilot was Robin Hooper, who was a school friend.  We both lived in Cowichan Bay, BC.
They were on excercises I believe, from CFB Cold Lake (Alberta) or possibly from CFB Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan).
I trust this will help in the confusion weather this was a US or Canadian plane."

Jason Pineau published this beautiful photo on his Flickr account (link) and added following information:
"PBY Canso from World War II. Parked on the side of a hill near Tofino, BC."
David McIntosh made a video profile and can be seen on YouTube - his photos HERE..
Identity of this plane is: PBY-5A Canso (Catalina) RCAF 11007.
If you intend to hike up there, this may be helpful:
www.trailpeak.com/trail-Canso-Crash-Site-near-Tofino-BC-5053
or thus YouTube video 'on the bomber trail' by Wayne Stadler https://youtu.be/qUz9WiWhQac (the Canso has a lot more grafitti on it, video published 27Sep2016).
Dirk Septer wrote an article about this Canso A RCAF 11007: Crash site of Royal Canadian Air Force Canso A 11007 revisited, by Dirk Septer 2009 (.pdf format)
Warning: it is only a 45 minute hike, but one could easily get lost and some people have...

Mark Stephen sent me another link on 14Jun21: www.gotofino.com/- - -/tofino-place-crash- -/

Jan Fr. Mack made me notice this WW2 B-24 bomber, the wreckage surviving at Atka Island (Aleuts), Alaska.

Jan wrote:
"The B24 is on Atka Island, one of the Aleuts, quite 
far to the west.
It is easily accessible if you come by boat. We know a crew that has been there, but unfortunately they have no blog."

Jason Streitmann wrote me in Nov.2011:
'The B-24's identity is: B-24D 40-2367, it force-landed at Bechevin Bay, Atka, Alaska on Dec 9, 1942. Assigned N58426 in 1984, with American Veterans Memorial Museum, CO, but not recovered.'
Source: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1940.html
Note: see Joe Baugher's note on a second set of reassigned numbers, from 24As to 24Ds.

Jason included these links, providing more details on the story of the crashlanding, its preservation and the background of use of this type of airplane:
www.wreckchasing.com/atkab24.htm
www.nps.gov/nr/travel/aviation/atk.htm
www.adn.com/2008/12/28/636258/wwii-wreck-part-of-new-national.html (click on photo for more)
http://pacificislandparks.com/aleutians/
Also a video on YouTube of the crash site:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYjlOTV0ckU

DC-3 at Reindeer Lake, July 2006

In July 2006 a very unteresting thread was started by the King of Obsolete on www.avcanada.ca/forums. He published these 2 photos, with a link to the story on his website: http://kingofobsolete.ca/discovery_of_the_dc3_airplane_webpage.htm
The DC-3 crashed when take off failed; it flew for a lodge situated here. The King's website offers the link to the report on Aviation-Safety Network: it concerns here DC-3B-202A N139D (c/n 2027). Photos on the King's report shows Ozark- titles.
Found this website with a map of Reindeer Lake's location, assuming there is only one, in Saskatchewan.

Dirk Septer added to this (Oct.2006):
"The DC-3 at Reindeer Lake: damaged beyond repair July 10, 1969 at Malcolm Island, Saskatchewan.
This must be one of the hundreds of islands in this huge Reindeer Lake in northern Sask. I worked one winter north of there on Walleston Lake. We were flying out every morning on a Beaver on skis. In one of the doors was a metal tag from the Dutch firm of Aviolanda.
Most of the time we had a hard time finding a spot to land: thousands of migrating cariboo everywhere and where there weren't any of them the rough ice surface was often covered with windblown ice ridges, making landing very risky. A couple of mornings we went out on a Cessna 185 on skis: it's amazing how much abuse those landing gears can take!"

Read about how the King is planning to salvage this DC-3,
on www.douglasdc3.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=287

Joey "the King of Obsolete" has also found something written about this crash and the one mentioned further down, on Lynn Lake-
BOOK COVER - PAGE1 - PAGE2

Photo taken by Neil Murtsell (alias 'Scudrunner') -->www.scudrunners.com

'Scudrunners' have a current (Sep.2020) topic about the search for the missing C54 in which the C-47 ended up on this mountain ridge: LINK.

Jackie Robinson sent me a photo taken on 16Nov07:

Kelly Walker was at the scene, shortly after the Curtiss C-46 Commando crashed... Kelly wrote: "I came across your page of abandoned plane wrecks of the north. I was there, the day it happened... This photo was taken shortly after the crash. The wreckage is still there (Feb.2010), most of the paint has eroded away. I've never seen any other pictures taken at the time of the crash. The people you see walking around the wreckage in the picture, are Ministry of Transport personnel; they wouldn't let us go any closer than where we parked."

Here's as 2018 update, taken from a tv (SBS6) show where a Dutch tv celebrity, Humberto Tan, is treated
on a bucket list trip in exchange for his live story. Tan is an avid photographer and he voted for a trip to
the polar bears of Churchill. They also visited the wrecked C-46, these days decorated with some fine graffiti.

It seems Pat Perry is responsible for these fine murals. Compiled last year, I think, during the 'Murals for Oceans Street Art Festival' in Churchill. I gathered this was an initiative of the PangeaSeed Foundation, which is "..an international non-profit organization acting at the intersection of culture and environmentalism to further the conservation of our oceans." www.pangeaseed.foundation

Curtiss C-46 Commando at Churchill, Manitoba
Several muralists from around the world joined forces in Churchill and created 18 large-scale murals that promote
ocean conservation not only in Churchill, but worldwide. The paintings were completed in June 2017, leaving behind stunning murals on old buildings and giving us another reason beyond belugas, polar bears, and northern lights,
to explore Churchill. ¬https:www.bemytravelmuse.com/seawalls-murals-churchill-manitoba/

Churchill, Manitoba - June 26th, 2017.
www.facebook.com/discoverchurchillmb/posts/727641194087282
"It is with my utmost humility that I ask for understanding and grace from the people of Churchill as to why I
couldn’t make something more cheery on the beloved 'Miss Piggy' plane wreck, and it is my greatest wish that
you find a sincere expression of solidarity in the artwork I’ve made." ¬Pat Perry

Ray Stickel sent me this image in July 2007:

He wrote me:
"I snapped a picture of this Curtiss C-46 Commando in 1993.
It lies between Thompson and Pikwitonei in Manitoba Province."

Brian Maddison followed this up with the following:
"The wreck is C-FCZH, which ran out of fuel and landed in trees as per the description:
aviation-safety.net, which includes the following information:
'Curtiss C-46C CF-CZH (c/n 22515) of North Coast Air Services was written off 24km [15mls] SE of Thompson,MAN on 29Sep77 when it lost height due to engine problems and was force-landed in trees, while trying to return to the airport.' "

In Sep.2007 I received following email:
Allen Barrett sent me this in March 2009; he explains:
"With regards to your picture of C-46 'CZH in the bush by Bryce Bay near Thompson. I remember this well as I was airborne doing circuits at Thompson with a Len’s flying school C-150 as the events unfolded as detailed in other comments."
Just to confirm Brian's story: that is indeed the C-46 out of Thompson, Sep 29, 1977...
I was the Area Manager for Northern Manitoba for Transport Canada Flight Service Stations, based out of Thompson.
I remember that one accident well, as they had just left Thompson (YTH) on a fuel flight (they had bladders of fuel on board), when they declared problems because of an engine failure and were returning to YTH.
We had them on the VHF DF so as to keep a bearing on the flight (no radar them days) and when we could no longer communicate with them, a Transport Inspector (the name I cannot remember now), who was doing some inspecting in YTH, commandeered a chopper which was about to depart and flew the heading of our last bearing on CF-CZH and found the wreck within minutes! They landed and picked up the two pilots and flew them directly to the Thompson hospital. The injuries were fortunately minor.
I believe the time from impact to hospital was within 30 to 45 minutes!! Probably a record for search and rescue!
That afternoon we were treated to beers in the 'Trappers' by the crew.
Tom Gibson (ret.).
("Oh, there is a C-46 on Southampton Island, three miles off the end of the runway, I walked out to it in 1964 when I was a Radio Operator in Coral Harbour,NWT)."

Alexandre Avrane (of AeroTransport Data Bank) suggested another crash of a C-46:
"Super C-46C C-GIXZ msn 22453 was lost on 31oct82 near Shamattawa, Manitoba and operated by Ilford Riverton.
Photo of the nose at the bottom of http://members.shaw.ca/navion/cgixz.htm (dead link)

Not to be confused with another (later) C-GIXZ msn 22495, which was destroyed in Kenya!"
See also Aircraft Crashes Record Office.
See Brian Maddison's photo of this C-GIXZ at Vancouver in 1978.

Joe Baugher describes an interesting history:
44-78630 (c/n 22453) to XT-526 Central Air Transport Corp., to N8311C.
To Flying Tiger Line Jan 1953 as N4879V.
To Cubana March 1954 as CU-T558, and to Ultramar April 1955 as N94593.
To Canadian Pacific May 1955 as CF-CZM. To Fairbanks Air Service in May 1974 as N802FA. [Correction see below]
And subsequently back to Canadian ownership as C-GIXZ.

Allen Barrett wrote: "I took this photo of the original C-GIXZ, shortly after the 1982 Shamattawa incident referred to by Alexandre Avrane... The starboard maingear ran into the ditch and culvert that ran parallel to the runway, seen under the starboard wingtip and tore the main gear attachments off the spar! 'IXZ came to rest on the taxiway to the Shamattawa apron area. This C-GIXZ was scavenged and scrapped in Shamattawa. The second 'IXZ was wrecked in Kenya, at Lokichoggio."

Allen added: "When CZH crashed by Thompson I was an apprentice AME working for Lambair and taking my private pilot license training.  Lambair acquired YHT (Miss Piggy in Churchill), just before I left Lambair to work for Avalon aviation on PBY,s used for aerial fire suppression.   
I worked on the Ilford Riverton Airways / Air Manitoba fleet from ’79 to ’92 along with Bill Fraser.
Bill was with the C-46s in Kenya and has a better memory than I do, regarding the Air Manitoba C-46 fleet. 
I was in Shamattawa for a couple of weeks shortly after the incident to remove engines, propellers, flight controls and equipment from IXZ. Every couple of days one of our DC-3’s would drop in, whilst returning to Winnipeg empty, and we’d load up all the parts we had removed.  After a few months with several different recovery crews sent in, the aircraft was dragged off the airport back into the bush where the hulk is still today. This would be what one of your contributors saw in the bush close to Shamattawa: "Just to confuse the issue….there was a wrecked C-46 fuselage near the north end of the Shamattawa airport, which is probably GIXZ”.  The aircraft would probably have been repaired, if it was a little more accessible, but economics dictated that the best plan at that time was to scrap it. Once we de-registered the aircraft we thought it would be fun to apply the same registration to a C-46 acquired from the States.   That aircraft was the one that ended up in Loki..   I think secretly somebody wanted to confuse those British aviation buffs who used to visit our facility and keep them on their toes. These guys, I think they called themselves "Friends of the DC-3", used to visit about once a year and if they promised to help unload, at the other end they got free rides on C-46s and DC-3s! They thought they had died and gone to heaven! Seemed a little odd to us as we worked around these aircraft daily. Whatever feathers your prop, I guess"

Seems like a veritable Curtiss Commando scrapyard up there in Manitoba..!
Updates and other wreck sightings (not restricted to C-46s, but rather all vintage propellor transports.
EMAIL

This image was displayed at the AvCanada forum (topic), by 'N181CS'; he added: "this is a DC-3, about 16 miles west of Shamattawa, about 3 miles south of the Winter Road. I was told it was hauling lumber at night and lost an engine. As you can tell its been there for sometime due to the growth around it..."

GPS Co-ordinates for the DC3 near Shamattawa ( also written as Shamathawa) are: N55 58.18 W92 31.65

By consulting the database of Aviation Safety Network I have come to the conclusion that this is C-FBKX, which has C-47B c/n 32813 destroyed at Gillam-Shamattawa on 15Feb1983. At the time it was operated by Ontario Central Airlines. The no. 1 engine backfired and failed while at 700 feet. The crew feathered the propeller but the (overloaded) aircraft descended into trees and came to a halt in deep snow.

This photo was grabbed from the AvCanada forum (topic), posted by 'HotShots21' (alias for Alex St-Gelais) with comments "CF-CPA a Lockheed Lodestar forced landed in the 60's."
[Date of photo: August 2007]

CF-CPA is Lodestar c/n 18-2177 and the subject of serious intentions to recover it. Its location is near Weeks Lake or Schefferville,QUE and it found this resting spot when it was forced down by fuel starvation.

"This Lockheed 18 Lodestar was one of those slated to join the Dutch East Indies Air Force in Java in 1940 where it was to have been given the serial number LT-926. However, when the Japanese overran Java, the Lodestar was diverted (seized, might be a better term) by the U.S. Government to the Army Air Corps as a C-60-LO and given the serial number 42-108787. The Army Air Corps never used the plane and released it to Canadian Pacific Air Lines in the early 1940s...." MORE: www.cf-cpa.ca/en/history.shtml

This wreckage lies at Beaver Creek, though I have no specifics of where this is nor the date of the photo. Google Maps link.
In correspondence over the disappearance of Douglas C-54D 42-72469 (c/n 10574) in the area, it was first thought that this wreckage was that DC-4/C-54, but subsequent information and photos have revealed it to be a DC-3/C-47.

The photo was taken by Neil 'Scudrunner' Murtsell who tells his tales on www.scudrunners.com
He wrote me (July 2008): "I am the photographer of the pictures from the Beaver Creek and the Ruby Range DC-3's. All of those pics where taken in 2005/2006. As for the Snag airport, last I saw the strip it was in beautiful condition. Check it out: 62°20'36.09"N 140°24'35.80"W
I am not quite certain but that aircraft lies some distance north of the snag airport."

Sheldon Rose wrote me in June 2007:
"The DC-4 near Beaver Creek, referred to in top of above search for the wreck at Snag, was actually destined for the airport (military) at Snag, in the 1950s I believe.
Snag no longer exists as a town; but it is still famous for the lowest recorded temperature in North America, -83.5F or something like that!
You can still see the outline of old airstrip in Snag in Google Earth. Beaver Creek is to the west of it.
I flew over the wreck a couple of years ago, but cannot recall exactly where it was."

Sheldon found more details on www.planecrashinfo.com/1950/1950-6.htm, which offers the following information:
January 26, 1950 (Time: ?), near Snag, Yukon Territory
Operator: Military - U.S. Air Force, flight: ?. Route: Elmendorf - Great Falls, MT
AC Type: Douglas C-54D-DC (DC-4), registration: 42-72469 (c/n 10574)
Aboard: 44 (passengers:36 crew:8). Fatalities: 44 (passengers: 36 & crew: 8)
Summary: Disappeared while en route.
This wreckage seem to be related to the DC-3 accident described on Mystery DC-3 in the Yukon, which was described to me as crashed during a search for DC-4, which to this day was never found. Both crashed in the same area on 26Jan50 and 07Feb50...
This wreckage, of the C-54D, has yet to be located...
Craig Fuller (AAIR Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research --www.AviationArchaeology.com ) wrote me in July 2007, and sent me several pages of the accident report.
Dirk Septer wrote a report on AF42-72469 on my website

Perhaps the real answer lies in the archives of the US Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB,Alabama

Craig Fuller, of AAIR Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research, emailed me in May 2012:
"On 26 Jan 50, USAF C-54D 42-72469 failed to arrive at Great Falls MT on a flight from Anchorage AK.
The last known position was over Snag, Yukon Territory, Canada.
A massive joint US-Canadian search was conducted, but the aircraft and its victims were never found.
With 44 people on board this is probably the largest unresolved missing aircraft case in North America.
Family members and interested researchers are spearheading an effort to renew the search for this aircraft. If you have not done so already, please consider joining his facebook page, Operation Mike, at www.facebook.com/operationmike.
This page serves as a place for people interested in this accident to connect, and as new (or forgotten) information is discovered, it is being posted here for all to see and discuss."

I recently (6-2013) found there was a Wikipedia page on this:
en.wikipedia.org:_1950_Douglas_C-54D_disappearance

Christened 'Operation Mike' there is also a Facebook page on the search for this Douglas C-54. Dean Russell, a supporter to the cause of finding this lost C-54, took out his helicopter on 20Sep2014 and searched & photographed various locations. Alas, the C-54 remained invisible. The search is described on the Facebook page. Below is a photo taken by Dean Russell of Snag Airport.

Dean wrote: "On September 20, 2014, my wife and I left camp and headed directly for Snag. We expected to see an old airport with a couple of rundown buildings in a reasonably usable runway. This of the way the Snag airport is now. That is a pick up truck with a cattle trailer, you can see in the picture."

Matt Miller wrote Feb.2008:
"After research into the RCAF Dakota history, I came across some details which may be of interest.
In early February 1950, Canadian and US forces were conducting 'Exercise Sweetbriar' in the Yukon.
On 16Feb1950, a RCAF Dakota force-landed on a small frozen lake about 8 miles from Snag,YT, about 8 Miles east of the Alaska highway and about 20 miles from the border with Alaska; no fatalities.
Your picture (the item discussed above -Webmaster) certainly shows a small lake and it is in the correct vicinity..?
The crash was survivable, which is consistent with the data you have.
I have still to uncover the identity of the Dakota concerned, possibly 664 or KJ936 (see next item below)."

John Bradley wrote me in May 2021, on Matt's comment above: "That Dakota that force landed on a lake
on 16Feb1950 was indeed RCAF 664, carrying the code CF*B. Dakota 664 was from No. 111 (K) Flt.
I have the Crash Cards for all the crashes".

John Bradley also wrote me, on below photo and KJ936: "This No.435 Squadron Dakota KJ936 stalled on take-off from Whitehorse on 22Feb 1950."

RCAF Dakota KJ936.

Bob: "That is my mother standing on the wing, with an unidentified guy".

Crash site of RCAF Dakota KJ936

The photos by Richard Mosse, in his 'THE FALL' portfolio, also revealed a C-47 wreck at Crows Nest Pass, Yukon...
Photos I found in a thread on the AvCanada Forum, with photos from 'Bear319':

No mention of identity (serial number) of the aircraft. See information by John Bradley below.
Location by Google Maps

The sign reads: DAKOTA PLANE CRASH - 1946
On January 19, 1946 a Royal Canadian Air Force DC-3 (Dakota) with seven crew men on board was reported missing on its flight from Comox, B.C. to Greenwood, Nova Scotia. Search efforts for the twin engine transport plane, last seen near Cranbrook, B.C. were hampered by bad weather. Five days after the flight's disappearance, Crowsnest Pass Forest Rangers made their way on snowshoes to the crash site near North York Creek, guided by smoke from the still smoldering wreckage. The plane had collided with Mount Ptolemy and then plummeted into the valley below.
There were no survivors.
A twelve men rescue team brought the bodies out by toboggan. The remains of the Dakota aircraft are still scattered around the area.
Help protect the memory of the men who lost their lives in this tragic accident. Please leave these pieces of the past for others to discover.

Links-
www.planecrashinfo.com/1946/1946-5.htm  (DC-3-201E NC19970). Compare info by John Bradley below.
www.flickr.com/photos/corey_hallisey/
pacaeropress.websitetoolbox.com/ "AAIR 07/25/07 On Jan 26, 1950 C-54D 42-72469 took off.."
www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=62660

Jeff Rankin-Lowe wrote;
"A quick look through my database:
These are the RCAF's Dakota crashes in 1946...
-- 962   Dakota Mk IIIN   124 (Ferry) Sqdn.   crashed 15.9.46
-- 967   Dakota Mk III   426 (T) Sqdn.   crashed 27.9.46
-- 986   Dakota Mk IV   168 (HT) Sqdn.   crashed 29.3.46
I checked one other reference I've got and the following may help with photo interpretation...
-- 962 crashed near Estevan, Saskatchewan, so no mountains or passes were anywhere near that and it can be ruled out.
-- 168 (Heavy Transport) Sqdn. used QZ codes from 1943 to 1946.
-- 426 (Transport) Sqdn. used BC codes from 1947 to 1951. Previously, it used OLP, OLW, OW, and OWP, but the dates are vague."

John Bradley wrote me in May 2021, 'RCAF Dakota Crash 19 January 1946'¬
"I have the Crash Card for this accident, as well as all others, and the aircraft registration was RCAF 636.
The Dakota was from No. 6 RCAF OTU. The aircraft was on a ferry flight from RCAF Station Comox to RCAF Station Greenwood. The starboard engine failed, and in addition, the wings began to ice up resulting in the aircraft losing altitude, struck the mountain and caught fire."
It was a bit of a puzzle for me (webmaster, RL), this update, as John did not specify the webpage nor did he pinpoint the item he referred to.
But he was not deterred and added the following:

Images at following links (updated Nov.2020) show another surviving wreck: CF-ILQ of Austin Airways.

CF-ILQ crashed 09Jan64, flying cargo, near Rupert River,QUE.
A forced landing was made into trees about 1.000 ft from the river with the undercarriage down. Both pilots were severely injured. Examination of the wreckage showed that the front fuel tanks were empty and no fuel had apparently been used from either of the rear tanks. (Aviation Safety Network)

Jeff Rankin-Lowe provided the following history:
- c/n: 12377
- delivered to USAAF as C-47A-10-DK, s/n 42-92563: 22.1.44
- t/o/s by RAF as Dakota Mk III, s/n KG368: 30.1.44
- delivered to U.K.: ?.2.44
- assigned to 512 Sqdn.: 14.2.44
- assigned to 437 (T) Sqdn. (RCAF*): 12.5.46
- transferred to RCAF as Dakota III, s/n KG368: 16.6.46
- t/o/s: 9.9.46
- s/o/s: 22.9.47
- sold to Canadair as ?: 27.10.47
- sold to ? as NC1388N: (date unknown)
- sold to Eldorado Mining and Refining as CF-GEI: 5.12.47
- crashed (?, Saskatchewan): 12.9.52
- sold to and rebuilt by Austin Airways: (date unknown)
- registered as CF-ILQ: 12.1.56
- crashed (near Rupert River, Québec): 9.1.64
- registration cancelled: (date unknown)
- wreckage still at crash site

* The RAF assigned some of its own aircraft to RCAF squadrons. The
personnel were (mostly) RCAF personnel. Some of the aircraft that were
returned to the RAF were later acquired by the RCAF. Others were simply
transferred.

Peter C. Hill wrote me in August 2024: "with respect to Austin's DC-3 CF-ILQ, I have provided a Google Map location for you, if you wish to add to the page." www.google.com/maps/place/Rupert+River/@51.366528,-78.2360414,179m/ and https://satellites.pro/Canada_map#51.366524,-78.235964,19

That same thread provided also these 2 photos of a Bristol Freighter... A sad sight!
Klimman123 provided these photos and also this clarification:
The Bristol Freighter is laying on the shore of Beaverlodge Lake in NWT; about 150nm northwest of Yellowknife.
From what I could find out, it seems it went through the ice one year while servicing a uranium mine in the 1960s. It was hauled on shore and salvaged.

Heard it belonged to Max Ward back in the ol'days. I didn't get a chance to poke around her or find out it's registration. Found it just 3 weeks (July 2006) ago."

I would welcome the name of the photographer for a proper credit.

Aad van de Voet provided the following details: "This is Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.31 CF-TFZ, c/n 13139, which was flying for Pacific Western Airlines at the time. It crashed there on 30 May 1956, only two months after PWA had acquired it..."
Thanks Aad!

Dirk Septer added the following:
"It was one of the three originally purchased by Trans Canada Airlines (later Air Canada). These aircraft were totally unsuited for this airline's requirements and were soon sold off to smaller Canadian operators.
CF-TFZ crashed on May 30, 1956 after only flying with Pacific Western Airlines for 2 months. It was damaged beyond repair after the undercarriage sank through the ice. Upon landing the port landing gear broke through the ice and the aircraft fell on its wing, bending the spars and crushing the sides of the fuselage....
The remains were later hauled onto the shore and stripped for parts. It was then left there on the shore.
Many off these Bristols had short careers with Canadian operators, mostly lost during landing accidents. For example Lambair, quoting Jack Lamb in his book 'My life in the North' (p. 151 ): "We operated four Bristol Freighters, and crashed four!" It seems one was in service with them for only two months, while the second was lost after flying only 35 hours for them!"
Dirk Septer

Sean Barry zoomed past and sent me these photos, which I believe were taken in Feb.2007

In July 2007 Dean Steer sent me photos of the 1956 accident, taken by his father Keith Steer at the time!
And Jason Pineau has photos taken on 12OCT2010: www.flickr.com/photos/jspitfire/

Ken Lubinski sent me these photos in Sep.2007; he recalled those days as follows:
"The Bristol was probably photographed late 1970's. The one pic shows the old mine cabin. Fellow on the left was the cook (Henry) and on the right my helper (Rick). I cannot recall their last names.
We spent the month of Feb at that camp. It was very cold... At night water would freeze in the cabin. All the packing between the logs had fallen out, so the wind would blow right between the logs. Every morning we would have little snow drifts on our sleeping bags!
I was doing exploration drilling at the old uranium mine for a company out of BC. I believe the company name was Noranda. Could be wrong on that one.
Of all the years of working the Arctic, Baffin Island included, I have never witnessed Northern Lights as intense as they were there! For two nights the sky was literally alive from one horizon to the other. The colors were so vibrant, and the movement of the lights was scarry! They seemed like they were just above the tree tops."
Ken.

UPDATE Nov.2024, by Peter C. Hill:
"www.google.com/maps/place/Beaverlodge+Lake/ + satellites.pro/Canada_map#64.728767,-118.185733,18
"Please note the spelling is one word Beaverlodge Lake."

Location of Bristol Freighter CF-TFZ (Google Maps Nov.2024) asper above link

+

In Dec.2007 I received following email:
"The salvage rights for the Beaverlodge Bristol 170 have been secured from Air Canada (AC is the successor firm to Pacific Western Airlines). I am trying to find a museum or preservation group who would be willing to recover and restore the plane.
Unfortunately, several Canadian museums have begged off due to the anticipated high costs.
I also reached out to the people at the Bristol Aero Collection but that may not fly as they were already finalizing arrangements for a Bristol fuselage in Australia.
If you know any museum people..???

Anyone with any sightings (or fate) after Dec.1970 of Lambair's Bristol Freighter CF-WAC:
Bill of sale recorded 20Nov70 from Wardair to Lambair Ltd, The Pas,MB, and registered to them that date. Lasted only 37 flying hours with them before being lost in a non-fatal landing accident when it crashed 19Dec70 at Trout Lake, Manitoba, (95.50 N 94.00 W) on landing in muddy conditions.
Swung off runway and substantially damaged fuselage and wings. WFU with TT 11,707 hrs. Canx 7 Apr 71.

Jerry Vernon added to this: 90° West is not in Manitoba,, it runs up through Northwestern Ontario... Big Trout Lake, Ontario is bisected by the 90° West meridian, at just below 54° North;  Big Trout Lake is the village of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation!! They were formerly known simply as the Big Trout Lake First Nation.
But..... there is also a Trout Lake and a Little Trout Lake adjacent to it elsewhere in Northwestern Ontario, near the famous mining town of Red Lake, at about 93° West/51° North;  Lambair could have been flying in there too!!

Dirk Septer added the following:
"Lambair’s 3rd Bristol crash took place on the dirt strip at Trout Lake,Ont.
It was a carbon copy of the landing accident (of Bristol ‘YDO) at Repulse Bay. Bob Shinnie, the Captain, wandered off the centerline during the landing rollout, hit a pile of frozen mud, and collapsed the gear of the Bristol.
His load of 25 drums of diesel fuel went scooting out the nose doors of the aircraft! We had just bought this particular Bristol from Max Ward. It was only in our service for 35 hours... ouch!"

Dirk added the following information he found on the 'long-nosed' CF-QWJ:
"By acquiring long-nosed CF-QWJ, Lambair became the only non-European operator of this Superfreighter. On May 31, 1974, QWJ crashed while en route from Churchill to Rankin Inlet with a load of insulated sewer pipe and empty fuel tanks. Turning final to land at Rankin, the Bristol kept on rolling, striking the sea ice inverted. The crew of two were killed but the actual cause of accident was never determined.
Bristol CF-QWJ would also become the last flying long nosed Freighter in commercial service, and possibly the last one flying in any configuration... The other two remaining Superfreighters had not flown since the demise of Midland Air Cargo and were derelict by then. G-APAU was at Lasham and ‘AV was withdrawn at Coventry. When no buyers were found, after some considerable time, G-APAV made one last flight.... to Lasham for scrapping."

This is a Canso, about 25 mile NE of Sioux Lookout,ONT.
Mark Stachowiak had seen and photographed it while flying by, he returned for a closer look and better pictures...
Mark wrote: "the lake is called Jackson Lake, it's about 6 miles S of Adamhay Lake (Top NE corner of the Large Lac Seul); I took these pictures in Oct.2006."
About the location, Rich Hulina wrote: "Jackson Lake is the one north of it which is connected." A 2014 image see Photos by Friends & Guests (40).

C-GFFJ is a Canso PBY-6A, it has c/n 2066.

Its aviation history is like this:
Operated by Sonora Flying Service, Columbia,CA 1962-1966 with tailnumber N6456C, airtanker no.38.
Jack R. Ulrich of Chiloquin,OR bought it in 1969.
With Hemet Valley Flying Service (Hemet,CA) during 1972-1978.
It flew as tanker E84 (later simply 84).
It was damaged by fire while on the ground at Stockton,CA in 1977.

Peter C. Hill wrote me in Nov.2024:
"C-GFFJ Canso. Note the zoom in the area is poor, so I attached a screenshot." www.google.com/maps/place/Jackson+Lake/

+

https://satellites.pro/Canada_map#50.554444,-91.563065,19
"It's still a bit fuzzy, but from other sources it seems to be the location. The actual lake is Free Lake, which is connected to Jackson Lake."

Came across this photo of Buffalo's C-FNJE Tanker 702 (PBY-5A c/n CV-437) at the AvCanada website.

It flipped over while scooping water Sitidgi Lake, NWT 24Jul2001. It was recovered from the seabed and brought ashore for repairs.

Curtis voluteered the following on the CV-Canso Yahoo forum:
"The Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton is trying to recover it as Buffalo Airways donated 'NJE to the museum about one year ago.
But the local native people in the area of Inuvik have been giving Buffalo (and now the museum) a hard time about the aircraft being on their land and about crossing their land to bring CF-NJE to Inuvik for further transportation south...
There are no heavy lift helecopters in the NWT, so the only way to get NJE to Inuvik is to tow her in the winter on ski's across the native land."

In March 2008 I was informed 'NJE had been sold by Buffalo A/W to a private party: Don Wieben of Alberta.
During April he and his son Greg went over to have a look; this resulted in a move (after almost 7 years of desolate storage) on 20Apr08, when transport reached Dempster Highway and headed for Inuvik that day. On 10Oct08 C-FNJE was loaded on a barge and headed for Hay River., a 7-10 day trip; At Hay River Don and his crew removed the wings and on 04Nov08 moved it from Hay River to Fairview Alberta;
the wing was put on a Redstar Farms 48 foot long high boy trailor, mounted high with lots of overhang.
The airframe we was put on a Capstan Hauling out of Grand Prairie long double drop trailor.
The roads were terrible much of the way with freezing rain and snow much of the way, but the crew got things done.
The ultimate goal is to restore 'NJE to flying condition, tour the western Canada air shows and do one epic journey with it... Go for it!

See the website www.savethecanso.com

Here is a 2012 photo by Nigel Hitchman who visited the farm at Fairview in 2012:
Canso PBY-5A C-FNJE (CV-437) under restoration of the Fairview Aircraft Restoration Society (FARS). This Canso was flown as RCAF 11094 on anti-submarine missions during WW2 and remained in military service until 1961. The aircraft was then, reg'd as CF-NJE, converted by Field Aviation into a pestcontrol sprayer.
After the bugs had gone, several companies used the amphibian (now reg'd C-FNJE) as a waterbomber, fighting forest fires. While in use with Buffalo Airways, as Tanker 702, it was damaged and went down in the waters of Sitidgi Lake near Inuvik (NWT) on 24Jul2001. (Source- Scramble magazine, #454, march 2017 issue).

I understand that the correct designation of C-FNJE is Consolidated 28-5AMC Canso, as it is an ex/ RCAF aircraft and not a former US Navy aircraft.

UPDATE Feb.2017 'First flight after restoration fast approaching!'
On the WIX (Warbirds) forum I read an update on the process of restoration of C-FNJE.
"One of Buffalo's former Waterbombers that crashed in 2001 is set to fly once again after a 9 year restoration: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/canso-airplane-fairview-1.3976241
Someone replied: 'According to the Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers website, it was RCAF 11094.'
"It's a Canso A as opposed to a Canso. It was built by Canadian Vickers but not all built there were Canso As. They built a large number of OA-10A Catalinas for the USAAF too."

Dirk Septer provided the text and photo:
In 1953 two Convair B-36 Peacemakers went down on Canadian soil. On February 12, 1953, B-36H Serial 51-5729 from the 7th Bomb Wing crashed on a hill near Goose Bay, Labrador. The bomber ran out of fuel while holding for traffic at the SAC base in Goose Bay. Two crewmembers in the rear compartment were killed in the mishap.
Blair Rendall visited the wreck in 1978. "It is in two pieces but you could spend a week there going through the wreckage. At that time there was 5,000 rounds of ammo still on it! I crawled in the tail and there were two boxes there on the fuselage, either side, with printing: 600 rounds 20-mm each. The ammo was still neatly stacked in the boxes as it was 20 years before."
A month later on March 18, RB-36H-25, Serial 51-13721 got off course in bad weather and crashed on Random Island, Newfoundland. This was the B-36 in which Brig. Gen. Richard Ellsworth and a number of others were killed. The aircraft had very nearly cleared the top of the 600-foot hill overlooking Smith Sound. In honour of Gen. Weaver Ellsworth AFB near Rapid City was later renamed Ellsworth AFB.
Today, a surprising amount of wreckage is still visible. The crash site remained virtually undisturbed since the U.S. Air Force salvaged it in 1953. A well-groomed trail, about one kilometre from the road, leads to the wreck.
Sean O’Brien, who visited the site in 2000, gives the following description. "It isn’t quite as remote as it may have been in the '50s. The tail section is intact and perfectly upright. I counted seven engines in the area. There are large sections of wing scattered everywhere. Oddly, there was remarkably little fuselage evident. But maybe local people salvaged some of that. Certainly, most of the armament was. I saw an electrically operated cannon mounted on a workshop wall of a local youth, who had only dragged the gun from the scene years ago. And locals tell me that there are truckloads of bits and pieces sitting in cellars in all nearby towns. "

A few years earlier, on February 13, 1950, U.S. Air Force B-36B strategic bomber 44-92075 ('075) the crashed in northwestern British Columbia. The giant aircraft belonging to 436 Squadron, 8th Air Force, 7th Bomb Wing, 7th Bomb Group (H) of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) was en route from Eielson Air Force Base (AFB) near Fairbanks, Alaska to its home base at Carswell AFB at Forth Worth, Tex.
Besides carrying 252 pounds of 20-mm aircraft cannon ammunition, the aircraft had an 11,000-pound Mk. IV atomic fission bomb on board, similar to the one dropped on Nagasaki, Japan in August 1945. "Lost Nuke", a Discovery Channel production, follows three Canadians, Dirk Septer, Jim Laird and John Clearwater to the crashsite in their attempt to unravel this mystery of the U.S. military’s very first "Broken Arrow" or loss of a nuclear bomb.

Neville Webb has something to say about the crashsite too, he lives in the area, CLICK HERE... Neville revisited the site with a group of hikers, updated his account with photos and two links for videos by a drone!

Doug Davidge wrote me in May 2012: "Living in the north has made me appreciate the importance of some of the older wrecked aircraft. I noted you mention the B-36 44-92075 crash site in the Nass River Valley of Northern B.C. but no photos were posted...

I had the opportunity to visit the site in 1997 and was able to gather a number of photos (above). If you wish to use them on your web page please do.
Unfortunately there was not much of it left due to the USAF demolition in the 1950s, but we did document some interesting items.
Since my visit, I understand much of the movable pieces have since been taken away by various interested groups or people with the money and means to access the site. It is possible the site could be snow covered all year so maybe the opportunity to see what we encountered will only be on a periodic basis."

Mike Charters wrote me in Dec.2007 and sent me the following photo:

Mike added: "Thought I’d send a photo of the B-36 Peacemaker near Goose Bay, taken from a Euorocopter EC-155B Helicopter in the Fall of 2005 or 2004 I believe.
Lee Cormie (who is also on your website, looking for info on the Ft. Ross DC-3) was the pilot of the helicopter, of which I had just assisted on an engine change and we flew out there on a test flight..."

Lew Noble remembered how a rumor told a different version of the cause of the crash:
"I was there at time of the crash as a member of the US Air Force. 'Ran out of gas' might be the official explanation but the rumor factory on base was quite different...
I know almost nothing about flying or GCA landings but here is what was said:
The planes were in line making their approach. Somehow the #2 plane had gotten into the lead or #1 position. The #1 plane was following GCA instructions which were based on the position of the lead plane #2. Oops. CRASH.
Is this true or even possible? I don't know, but this is the explanation that went around the base."
Lew

Roger Soupart shared this photo (no source or name of photographer) on his Facebook wall in May 2017:

Joey 'the King of Obsolete' has also found something written about the crashes mentioned by Marc McCrimmon (and the 'Ozark DC-3' earlier up this page)-
BOOK COVER - PAGE1 - PAGE2

Joey wrote: "I used my magic marker on the computer and showed you where the Beech 18 should be. I have some pilots tell me, on a clear calm day you can see the Beech 18 in the water... The water up here is clear to over 100 feet!
Here is a link to a map that will show you where the malcolm island runway is to Kinoosao:
http://kingofobsolete.ca/rocket_tour_WEBPAGE.htm
He added: "Your website is answering a lot of questions over in the Great White North... I know a fellow that was in Lynn Lake when they were stripping the DC-3 at Malcolm Island. He remembers it well because the crew flew back to Lynn Lake every night and had the parts they took off the plane that day..."

Joey got the Twin Beech, registered CF-PJG on dry land and hauled it to his 'Kingdom of Obsolete' in Jan.2020 - see the update on my Photos by Friends & Guests #60.

In Jan.2020 Joey wrote: "June 22nd, 2016 we went searching for the Beech 18 that was driven on the ice 20 miles from arctic lodge (Grand Slam Lodge? -RL) to Kinoosao - with the wheels pinned down and with the side scan sonar.
The wheels fell through the bad ice and the Twin Beech was stripped of any good parts.

(Reindeer Lake is a lake in Western Canada located on the border between northeastern Saskatchewan and northwestern Manitoba, with the majority in Saskatchewan. -from Wikipedia).
Joey: "This picture was taken in the Bay of Kinoosao, which is the approach to the sand airstrip."

Joey continues: "The side scan sonar found (using the word loosely) 'a plane'; which we recovered with the call letters CF-PJG. This plane had the wheels up inside the wings and there is a record of the crash on the sand air strip in Kinoosao. Plus the plane is burnt due to a right engine fire.
Yes, what are the odds that there are 2 Beech 18 in the Bay of Kinoosao that were both stripped and left behind!
One with the wheels pinned down and the other with the wheels still up in the wings?
Yes, I did salvage the wrong beech 18 and will go back this summer to get the other Beech 18 with the wheels pinned down.
Anyone know what the call letters (registration -RL) would be since they are both Calm Air planes?" EMAIL
Another photo of this unidentified Calm Air Twin Beech:

Joey: "The arctic Beech 18 that Mac (Mac McCrimmon RL) drove to the Bay of Kinoosao had the tail haywire together for the trip. On this picture you can see wood and hay wire on top of the tail in the centre.
./end quote
So this is the one sunk at Kinoosao which Joey has his mind set on to recover in 2020 from its submerged condition.

Lorne Brett sent me these images in Sep.2009; they were taken in 1997.

Lorne wrote: "I live in Thunder Bay Ontario and have seen this Beech 18, between Sioux Lookout and Upsala, several times over the years while fishing in the area.
When I last visited the sight the plane was in much better condition. I suspect that this airplane has sadly been the victim of high scrap prices for aluminum a couple of years ago, but I may be wrong.
Although somewhat remote, the sight is accessible by vehicle.
I have a short history of the plane, although I can in no way guarantee its accuracy since the information was given to me by a friend, who had talked to somebody, who had lived in the area for many years.
The plane was used by the United States Air Force ( the markings are still on the plane ). It crashed into a small lake, beside the railway tracks, in the 1950's. I was told there were no fatalities. The plane was pulled up on shore, where the engines and other parts were salvaged.
I think that the fact that the railway was used up until about 15 years ago kept the plane in a fairly unvandalised state. Unfortunately this is no longer the case".

Robert K. Parmerter, authority on the Beech 18 subject and author of the 'bible' on this subject "Beech 18: A Civil and Military History" (Twin Beech 18 Society, Tullahoma,TN /2004) offered the following reaction to the above-
"Is it possible that someone (USAF?) used the orange paint after the crash to improve visibility or mark it as found? The reason I ask is that the orange paint seems to be in more places than I've seen it on other C-45s for high-viz.
I believe that the aircraft is a C-45G/H built 1951-55. The clues are the increased area leading edge inboard of the engine eliminating the WWII production C-45Fs. There are too many C-45G/Hs for which I don't have a fate, to make any guesses. Just to confuse matters, is it possible that it was a surplus USAF C-45G/H that crashed in the 1960's and the elements wore off the orange civil paint to expose the USAF markings which were painted over instead of removed?
Hopefully some more information will come to light."
Bob.

A post on the AvCanada forum provided the following response from 'imarai':
"I can't yield any history on the C-45 in question, although I have heard from a retired RCAF Searchmaster that in the past, many known wrecks were painted with a large orange X to reduce re-reporting of a known downed aircraft. Best of luck on your findings."

Another Beech C-45 wreck, also in Ontario, as yet uncertain about the identity and crash background-
Vince Yonemitsu wrote me on Oct.2012: " A guy I know saw this wreck while hunting in Ontario; do you know what kind of plane it is? Its location is north of Thunder Bay, crashed sometime before 1988 as there is a date someone scratched into it. Near a lake, maybe a forced landing on the ice…?"
Further down is a 2020 update with the possible identity of this Beech C-45.


More details were provided:
"The location is acually east of Armstrong Station, in wash lake which is part of the Pikitigushy river.
It is not acessible by vehicle or boat due to rapids. It is about 1km off Mckinley road.
As far as I can tell it has been there since before 1988; it is a Beechcraft model 18 or C 45.
It is in the middle of the wilderness on the bank of a lake with the wheels still on it (not crashed).
Wings and motors have been removed and many souvenirs have been stripped off it.
There is part of a number still on one of the tail fins CF-Z....
the coordinates are:
N 50 28.428'
W 088 40.425' "

Kurt Ariano wrote me in Feb.2020: "I may have found out the registration of a Beech 18 you have posted in the Abandoned Plane Wrecks of the North!
The aircraft after much thought and investigation appears to be CF-ZQH.
This Beech 18 was owned by Mr. Orville Wieben of Superior Airways. The aircraft crashed on July 28, 1978 on a flight from Landsdowne House to Thunder Bay, Ontario.
CF-ZQH developed engine problems and ditched in the lake not far from Armstrong. The accident occurred on a flight from Ft. Hope, Ontario to Thunder Bay. Lansdowne House which is very close to Ft. Hope.
There were no injuries.

'ZQH had the original RCAF paint scheme when it was purchased from the RCAF. It was owned by a group of Severn Enterprise fellows and flew out of Sioux Lookout, Ontario.
It was later sold to Superior Airways.
Both Severn Enterprise and Superior Airways were owned by Orville Wieben.

The speed or lighting bolt was modified at a later day after the aircraft left Sioux Lookout for Thunder Bay.
In the photo the lightning bolt is shortened or cut off instead of running up further towards the nose.
After looking at other photos of ZQH, before the crash, this appears to be ZQH sitting on the short of the lake. The coordinates mentioned are very close to the ones in the accident report of for ZQH."

I would like to ask if I may use these two photos in a story I post on the avcanada.ca website each month, in the Bush Flying section. The postings are in the Superior Airways thread and my member name I use is 'beech 18'.
I post a story about the aircraft that were with the company when I worked there. It is located in the Superior Airways thread."

On the AvCanada another interesting item appeared: about a B-29 surviving in Northern Greenland. Those with aircraft preservation at heart will understand the drama when an attempt to recover B-29 "Kee Bird" went awfully wrong in the summer of 1995...

"Finally after two years of work they are ready for the flight back to Thule. The plane has frozen into the mud and snow, and it takes maximum power to break the wheels free. The nose wheel can't be controlled, and at slow speeds, Darryl has to adjust the engine power to steer the plane. Finally, it is moving in a wide circle, out onto the lake, on its way toward the end of the runway. The plane is bounced and shaken by the frozen snowdrifts. Suddenly, smoke can be seen pouring from the windows in the cockpit. The auxiliary power unit, a stand-by generator, was thrown from its mounting in the rear fuselage, and caught fire."

See HERE how it sits now (2008).
The failed 'Kee Bird' recovery was discussed on
AvCanada forum. More details here on www.dhc4and5.org

Photo: Journal de Montréal/Dany Doucet
In April 2019 I received an email: "My father Paulo Trottier is the one who took that picture of the tail
of the B-29. He is a bush pilot and he discovered that plane back in early-90s." ¬Mary Trottier.

Alas, my understanding of French is poor and thus the text of no help.
Joe Bauger's info confirms KC-97 52-2685 'seen lying near Mistassini Lake in Quebec, Canada'
Here is an image of a similar KC-97 (52-2686) on Planepictures.net
I would welcome details as to how KC-97 52-2685 ended up here: a crash or an emergency landing? (See also below deatils provided by Bill Farrell)
EMAIL - pls include the url / link of the webpage you refer to.

Darcy Lafontaine sent me this image in Jan.2012 while he wrote:
"I came across that KC-97 wreckage when I was working for a company exploring the area in 2008. I thought I'd pass you some pictures I took of the wreckage."

Bill Farrell wrote me this in Feb.2012, and while it is by no means certain (not impossible either) that the story is about the KC-97 in this crash, it does provide interesting reading!

"Just by chance the other day, I found three (Syracuse, New York) Post Standard Daily News Papers. They were dated Dec. 11th, 12th and 13th, 1962.
The front page news of those three days was about a U.S. Air Force KC-97 that was abandoned on Monday night, December 11th, 1962 while in flight near Watkins Glen, New York. There was in-flight fire that the crew couldn't extinguish, so the auto-pilot was set and they all bailed out just southeast of Watkins Glen.
The plane was left flying a northerly course. It was last sighted near RCAF Bagotville, still flying north. They lost radar contact with it about 100 miles north of Bagotville.
If this is the same plane, it flew more than 700 statute miles with no one in it.
The articles in the Post Standard are quite extensive. However. no serial number or tail number were given in the news paper article. The plane was based at the former Plattsburg (New York) Air Force Base."

Monday 10 December 1962 https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/333185 KC-97G 52-2685

Peter C. Hill came with this (Nov.2024): "A Google search did find some comments on Facebook. Dave Flucket took this when piloting the Bell 47. I've chatted with him, but he is unable to recall the location any better."

A good place to park your helo!

Lac Pluto, Quebec

Ken ("GOT IT!") managed to find the location on Google Maps for remains of KC-97 52-2685!
It's south of Lac Pluto, passing Lac Gaschet & Lac du Trident 'as the crow flies'...

A wing seems seperated, maybe drifted south on high water.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UqbdhUxrUEz9PFS97 52.03902526860497, -71.30459826829774

Published 2002, ISBN 1-55369-602-6

In Feb.2017 Bob wrote me: "About those two you previously showed 'sans' registration (Cessna 180 - Peterson's Air Service CF-LCA) and the Beaver (Connelly-Dawson Airways CF-GYK).
My Dad, Gordon Cameron, was on both those jobs with Denny (as well as the Aero Commander), and I remember those occasions well.
Dad had the same AME ratings as Denny (including 'B' Category), but he was also a pilot, which Denny was not. So in the case of the 180 (LCA) and the Beaver (GYK), Dad flew both of them out to civilization.
I was a kid at the time (with those guys and their colleagues being my heroes!), and many years later, as Flight Operations Manager for Trans North, I had both those aircraft in my 'stable'.
And many years even later yet, I ended up owning the Beaver CF-FHZ, which Denny rescued more than once!"

In aug.2015 I received following request (on which I had no information to offer:
"This is a shot in the dark, but I am wondering if the flight my Dad was on has ever been found..?
Here is the info that Wikipedia has:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_Canadian_Pacific_Air_Lines_Douglas_DC-4_disappearance
If you have any thoughts on this I sure would appreciate hearing from you. I am in Destin Florida and I am trying to make a memorial timeline of my Dad”s life.
Thanks so much,
Christina Clauson (Destin,FL)

This is some of the Wikipedia info:
"The 1951 Canadian Pacific Douglas DC-4 disappearance occurred on the 21 July 1951, when a Douglas DC-4 four-engined piston airliner registered CF-CPC of Canadian Pacific Air Lines disappeared on a scheduled flight for the United Nations from Vancouver, Canada, to Tokyo, Japan.
Neither the aircraft nor the 31 passengers and six crew have been found.
The aircraft, a Douglas DC-4 four-engined piston airliner, had been built in 1944 for the United States Army Air Forces as a Douglas C-54A Skymaster; but on delivery in June 1944, it was diverted to the United States Navy with the designation R5D-1.
In 1946 it was converted to a civil Douglas DC-4 standard for Pan American Airlines as Clipper Winged Racer.
It was sold to Canadian Pacific Airlines in 1950."

Aviation Safety Network (ASN) on CF-CPC' disappearance

If you have any info to offer, please email the webmaster (pls state the url/link you are referring to)

To email me, click on the image and write the correct adress as given below
(replace -AT- by the @ symbol).

Sorry for the inconvenience, but this is because spam has increasingly become a problem.