Warbird Information Exchange

01/17/44 BT13 crashed and sinks into Lake Arrowhead near Totem Pole Point

thats all the info I have on this,wondering if the pilot was killed and if the plane is still there? Its just a trainer and with the war marching on they might have left it there...Might pull out the boat and side scan sonar,anybody local want to go fishing?

Dude,
PLEASE put somewhere in your title caption the date of the accident! We've had this discussion many times here and not 3 inches above your entry is a 'STICKY' cautioning about 'WHAT NOT TO SAY IN YOUR POSTING'
The opening line of your question would work just fine "01/17/44 crash of BT-13, searching for information", as I'm sure several board members are just now getting down off the ceiling

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

WHAT

1-16-44. Lake Arrowhead, California.
I have the AAF Form No. 14 Aircraft Accident Report for this BT-13. The airplane, BT-13A # 42-42928, crashed on January 16, 1944, not January 17. The pilots were 2Lt. Harold Rosen and 2Lt. Decatur M. Robinson. The airplane took off from Ontario, CA, on an instrument team ride. The airplane was flying at low altitude over the lake and approached an area where the terrain rises steeply. The pilot stalled the airplane attempting to turn away. The airplane stalled out of the turn and crashed into the lake. Both pilots were killed instantly.

A detailed summary can be found on page 652, Volume II
FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945

Good luck with your research.

TonyM.





Looks like he had the WWII date in the title of the thread.
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TonyM.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

Sounds like the mirror image of a fatal 13th AF BT-13 crash in the Philippines on June 2, 1945 which in turn lead to the loss of one of the searching P-38s

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Don't touch my junk!!

Camshaw,
Thanx for making the title change!
TonyM,
You didn't catch the original post before Camshaw changed it, it read like someone had just had an accident with a BT-13, not 64 years ago and we all know how unsetteling those titles are with us-

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

Inspector,

I didn't see the original thread title.

I read that sticky about the titles when I first joined the site.

I'll make sure that I don't make the same mistake.

TonyM.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

try wreck chasing king robb hill at rrvintageaero@aol.com. tell him i sent you, he'll take good care of you.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I have examined the AAF Form No. 14 Aircraft Accident Report for this crash. The airplane crashed in 15 feet of water and was removed from the lake a short time after it was located. The AAF listed the airplane as a "compete wreck" and that it was "salvaged." Photos of the wrecked airplane after it was removed from the lake are included in the aircraft accident report.

See:
USAAF Aircraft Accident Reports Microfilm
Call # 46310; January 16, 1944; Accident # 20

Good luck with your research.

TonyM.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

thanks guys,you guys are a great help......keep up the good work...