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1947년 8월 4일
4 August 1947
4 August 1947
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시애틀 포트 로턴 소속 E. L. TAFF 하사는 부상을 입지 않았으나, 기관장인 W. D. MATHEWS 기술 하사가 추락 현장 근처 농가에 있으며 부상을 입었다고 보고했다. TAFF 하사는 이후 구급차를 MATHEWS 하사에게 안내했고, MATHEWS 하사는 그 후 지역 병원으로 이송되었다. 태평양 표준시 06시 10분, 해밀턴 필드의 B 비행중대에 전화 연결을 시도했으나 응답이 없었다. 그러나 해밀턴 공군 기지가 이 사건을 인지하고 B 비행중대에 통보할 것으로 알려졌다. 태평양 표준시 07시 00분, LITTRELL 대위가 C-45기를 타고 켈소로 출발했다. 태평양 표준시 07시 45분, B 비행중대와 전화로 연락이 닿아 긴급 보고가 전달되었다. 태평양 표준시 09시 05분, LITTRELL 대위가 전화를 걸어 추락 현장으로 향하는 육군 인력의 책임자로 FORSBERG 대위를 임명했다고 알렸다. 해당 지역의 민간인들이 추락의 정확한 위치를 알고 있었고 잔해에서 시신 한 구(1)를 발견했다고 보고했기 때문에 공중 수색은 필요하지 않았다. LITTRELL 대위는 TAFF 하사와 MATHEWS 하사를 의료 조치를 위해 맥코드 필드로 이송할 준비를 했고, 태평양 표준시 09시 45분에 도착했다. 생존자들은 조종사나 부조종사 모두 비행기에서 낙하산으로 탈출하지 않은 것으로 보인다고 진술했다. 이 시점에서 사고 원인은 왼쪽 엔진의 화재로 판단되었다. TAFF 하사는 LITTRELL 대위에게 기밀 문서가 기내에 있었던 것으로 보인다고 알렸고, FORSBERG 대위는 필요한 예방 조치를 취하라는 지시를 받았다. 두 생존자를 태운 비행기가 맥코드 필드에 도착하자 구급차가 대기하고 있었고 그들을 병원으로 이송했다. 진술 청취 결과 왼쪽 엔진의 동력부에서 화재가 발생했으며, 화염과 연기가 거의 즉시 조종실로 퍼진 것으로 드러났다. 기관장인 MATHEWS는 TAFF가 가슴 낙하산 팩을 부착하는 것을 도왔고, TAFF는 추정 고도 10,000피트에서 비행기를 버렸다(이 사실은 의심스럽지만 반드시 관련이 있다고 간주되지는 않는다). MATHEWS는 조종사와 부조종사가 가슴 낙하산 팩을 부착하는 것을 도왔고(모든 인원은 하네스를 착용하고 있었다), 그가 비행기를 떠날 때 부조종사가 뒤따를 준비를 하고 있음을 인지했다. 조종사는 떠나기 시작했고, MATHEWS의 가장 정확한 기억으로는, 부분적으로 일어선 채 왼손으로 조종간을 잡고 있었다. MATHEWS의 진술은 적절한 비상 절차가 수행되었으나 화염이 거의 즉시 왼쪽 전체를 뒤덮었음을 시사한다. TAFF는 보름달과 양호한 시야 덕분에 MATHEWS가 비행기를 떠나는 것을 보았고, 비행기가 지상에 닿을 때까지 따라갈 수 있었으며, 다른 사람이 탈출하는 것은 보지 못했다고 진술했다. 기체는 화염에 휩싸여 있었고 지상에 충돌하기 전에 분해되기 시작했으며, 그가, 즉 TAFF가 착륙한 곳에서 약 1마일 떨어진 곳에서 폭발하고 불탔다. 그는 나무에 착지했고, 신속 분리형 낙하산을 푸는 방법을 몰라 주머니칼로 하네스를 잘라냈다. 그는 발로 차고 몸부림치다가 결국 땅으로 뛰어내렸고, 착지 때 몸에 타격을 입었으나 얼마나 높이에서 떨어졌는지는 짐작할 수 없었다. 그는 소가 다니는 길을 따라 추정 2마일을 걸어 한 농가에 도착했는데, MATHEWS보다 늦게 도착했다. 한편, MATHEWS는 비행기에서 벗어나자마자 몸을 돌려 비행기가 지상에 충돌하고 폭발하며 불타는 것을 보았다. 충돌 직전 또는 바로 그 순간에 그는 불타는 물체가 비행기에서 튕겨 나가는 것을 보았지만, 그것이 사람인지 비행기의 일부인지는 알지 못했다. MATHEWS도 나무에 착지했고, 하네스에서 몸을 푼 후 땅으로 떨어져 등을 다쳤다. 그는 의식을 잃었다가 회복한 후 불타는 비행기로 갔는데, 약 50
Sgt. E. L. TAFF, of FT. LAWTON, SEATTLE, was uninjured, but reported that the crew chief, T/Sgt. W. D. MATHEWS, was at a farm house near the scene of the crash and was injured. Sgt. TAFF then led an ambulance to Sgt. MATHEWS who was subsequently taken to a local hospital. At 0610 PST an attempt was made to telephone Sq. B at HAMILTON FIELD but no answer was received; however, it was known that HAMILTON AFS was aware of the incident and would notify Sq. B. At 0700 PST Capt. LITTRELL departed in a C-45 for KELSO. At 0745 PST Sq B was contacted by phone and given a flash report. At 0905 PST CAPT LITTRELL phoned and informed that he had placed CAPTAIN FORSBERG in charge of Army personnel proceeding to the scene of the crash. No aerial search was necessary as civilians in the area knew the exact location of the crash and had reported finding one (1) body in the wreckage. CAPT. LITTRELL prepared to fly Sgt's TAFF and MATHEWS to MCCHORD FIELD for medical attention, arriving at 0945 PST. The survivors stated that they believed neither the pilot nor co-pilot has parachuted from the plane. The cause of the incident was at this time determined to be a fire in the left engine. CAPT LITTRELL was informed by Sgt. TAFF that he believed classified documents had been aboard the plane; CAPT FORSBERG was instructed to take necessary precautions. An ambulance met the plane at MCCHORD FIELD carrying the two survivors and took them to the hospital. Interrogation revealed that the left engine had caught fire in the power section and flames and smoke had spread to the flight deck almost immed- iately. The crew chief, MATHEWS, assisted TAFF in attaching his chest pack and TAFF abandoned the plane at an estimated altitude of 10,000 ft (this fact is doubted but is not considered necessarily relevant). MATHEWS helped the pilot and co-pilot attach their chest packs (all per- sonnel had been wearing the harness) and as he left the plane was aware that the co-pilot was preparing to follow. The pilot had started to leave and, to the best recollection of MATHEWS, was partially standing and holding the control wheel with his left hand. MATHEW'S statements indicate that proper emergency procedures had been performed but that the flames had en- veloped the entire left side almost immediately. TAFF stated that, because of the full moon and good visibility, he saw MATHEWS leave the plane and was able to follow the plane to the ground and that he saw no one else bail out. The ship was enveloped in flames and was beginning to fall apart before hitting the ground where it exploded and burned about one (1) mile from where he, TAFF, landed. He lit in a tree, and not knowing how to release his parachute of the quick-detachable kind, cut himself loose from the harness with his pocket knife. He kicked and struggled and eventually jumped to the ground, receiving a jolt on impact but was unable to guess how far he had fallen. He then followed a cow path for an estimated two (2) miles to a farm house, arriving after MATHEWS. Meanwhile, as MATHEWS cleared the plane he turned and saw the plane strike the ground, explode and burn. Just before or just at the time of impact he saw an object afire thrown clear of the plane but did not know whether it was a person or part of the plane. MATHEWS also lit in a tree, and after freeing himself from his harness, fell to the ground where he injured his back. He lost consciousness and on recovering went to the burning plane, about fifty
Sgt. E. L. TAFF, of FT. LAWTON, SEATTLE, was uninjured, but reported that the crew chief, T/Sgt. W. D. MATHEWS, was at a farm house near the scene of the crash and was injured. Sgt. TAFF then led an ambulance to Sgt. MATHEWS who was subsequently taken to a local hospital. At 0610 PST an attempt was made to telephone Sq. B at HAMILTON FIELD but no answer was received; however, it was known that HAMILTON AFS was aware of the incident and would notify Sq. B. At 0700 PST Capt. LITTRELL departed in a C-45 for KELSO. At 0745 PST Sq B was contacted by phone and given a flash report. At 0905 PST CAPT LITTRELL phoned and informed that he had placed CAPTAIN FORSBERG in charge of Army personnel proceeding to the scene of the crash. No aerial search was necessary as civilians in the area knew the exact location of the crash and had reported finding one (1) body in the wreckage. CAPT. LITTRELL prepared to fly Sgt's TAFF and MATHEWS to MCCHORD FIELD for medical attention, arriving at 0945 PST. The survivors stated that they believed neither the pilot nor co-pilot has parachuted from the plane. The cause of the incident was at this time determined to be a fire in the left engine. CAPT LITTRELL was informed by Sgt. TAFF that he believed classified documents had been aboard the plane; CAPT FORSBERG was instructed to take necessary precautions. An ambulance met the plane at MCCHORD FIELD carrying the two survivors and took them to the hospital. Interrogation revealed that the left engine had caught fire in the power section and flames and smoke had spread to the flight deck almost immed- iately. The crew chief, MATHEWS, assisted TAFF in attaching his chest pack and TAFF abandoned the plane at an estimated altitude of 10,000 ft (this fact is doubted but is not considered necessarily relevant). MATHEWS helped the pilot and co-pilot attach their chest packs (all per- sonnel had been wearing the harness) and as he left the plane was aware that the co-pilot was preparing to follow. The pilot had started to leave and, to the best recollection of MATHEWS, was partially standing and holding the control wheel with his left hand. MATHEW'S statements indicate that proper emergency procedures had been performed but that the flames had en- veloped the entire left side almost immediately. TAFF stated that, because of the full moon and good visibility, he saw MATHEWS leave the plane and was able to follow the plane to the ground and that he saw no one else bail out. The ship was enveloped in flames and was beginning to fall apart before hitting the ground where it exploded and burned about one (1) mile from where he, TAFF, landed. He lit in a tree, and not knowing how to release his parachute of the quick-detachable kind, cut himself loose from the harness with his pocket knife. He kicked and struggled and eventually jumped to the ground, receiving a jolt on impact but was unable to guess how far he had fallen. He then followed a cow path for an estimated two (2) miles to a farm house, arriving after MATHEWS. Meanwhile, as MATHEWS cleared the plane he turned and saw the plane strike the ground, explode and burn. Just before or just at the time of impact he saw an object afire thrown clear of the plane but did not know whether it was a person or part of the plane. MATHEWS also lit in a tree, and after freeing himself from his harness, fell to the ground where he injured his back. He lost consciousness and on recovering went to the burning plane, about fifty
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기밀
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL