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Last updated: April 7, 2016
This page contains a list of local USAAF and USAF air accidents, from 1918 to 1955, though with gaps in 1948-49, and 1952-55. The source is this database of Air Force Accident Reports via the Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research.
Their database contains 1,725 records where State = North Carolina. Of those, fifty-one records have a Location in the greater Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.
Notes:
| Date | Aircraft Type | Serial Number | Home Base | Action | Action Explained | Damage | Location | Legeros Notes |
| 1919-01-08 | JN-4H | AS-38189 | Emerson Field, Camp Jackson, SC | TOA | Take-off accident. | 5 | Benson, 1 mi S | |
| 1931-01-14 | O-2J | 28-136 | Bolling Field, Washington, DC | FLW | Forced landing due to weather. | 2 | Near Raleigh | |
| 1931-02-27 | A-3 | 28-105 | Langley Field, Hampton, VA | FLFDF | Forced landing due to fire, destroyed by fire. | 5 | Smithfield | |
| 1934-09-28 | O-38B | 31-422 | Bolling Field, Washington, DC | LACNO | Take-off accident. | 4 | Kenley | |
| 1941-07-14 | BT-14 | 40-1252 | Randolph Field, TX | TOA | Accident on take-off. | 3 | Pittsboro | |
| 1941-11-10 | A-24 | 41-15753 | Raleigh | KCRL | Killed in crash landing. | 5 | Ral Muni Airport, 1/2 mi N | Army Douglas A-24 crashes on approach to municipal airport, lands in middle of tent encampment. One killed. |
| 1942-04-11 | P-39F | 41-7228 | Florence, SC | LAC | Landing accident. | 4 | Raleigh | |
| 1942-08-07 | AT-6C | 41-32078 | Greensboro | FLEF | Forced landing due to engine failure, | 4 | Apex, 8 mi NW | |
| 1942-08-09 | B-26B | 41-17672 | MacDill Field, Tampa, FL | KTOA | Killed in accident on take-off. | 5 | Raleigh | Twin-engine Army bomber crashes at end of runway on take-off. Three killed. |
| 1942-10-19 | O-47A | 37-307 | Camp Davis | TOANU | Take-off accident, _____. | 4 | Raleigh | |
| 1943-03-10 | C-47 | 41-18416 | Pope Field, Ft Bragg | LAC | Landing accident. | 4 | Ral Muni Airport | |
| 1943-05-09 | P-40L | 42-11119 | Romulus, MI | LACGL | Landing accident causing a ground loop. | 3 | Ral Muni Airport | |
| 1943-05-11 | UC-78 | 42-58406 | Camp Davis, SC | LAC | Landing accident. | 3 | Ral Muni Airport | |
| 1943-07-01 | C-47 | 41-18621 | Maxton AB | LAC | Landing accident. | 4 | Ral Muni Airport | |
| 1943-10-29 | P-47D | 42-22266 | Richmond AAB, Richmond, VA | KMAC | Killed in midair collision. | 5 | Raleigh, 3 to 5 mi S | Pair of Army pursuit planes crash on Garner highway, about three miles south of airport. Two killed. |
| 1943-10-29 | P-47D | 42-74823 | Richmond AAB, Richmond, VA | KMAC | See above | 5 | Raleigh | See above |
| 1943-11-22 | L-6 | 43-2675 | RDU AAF | LACGL | Landing accident, caused ground loop. | 3 | Chapel Hill | |
| 1943-12-04 | L-16 | 43-2595 | RDU AAF | LACSSP | Landing accident, ___________. | 3 | Ral Muni Airport | |
| 1943-12-29 | L-5 | 42-98226 | RDU AAF | LAC | Landing accident. | 4 | Chapel Hill | |
| 1943-12-30 | L-5 | 42-98170 | RDU AAF | TOA | Take-off accident. | 5 | RDU AAF | |
| 1944-02-03 | A-20B | 41-2985 | Montbrook Field, FL | CBLoG | Crashed, belly landing, out of gas. | 4 | Apex | |
| 1944-03-21 | P-40R | 41-14071 | Spence Field, Moultrie, GA | TAC | Take-off accident. | 3 | RDU AAF | |
| 1944-03-28 | P-47C | 41-6127 | Orlando AAF, Orlando, FL | LACF | Landing accident due to fire. | 3 | RDU AAF | |
| 1944-04-06 | P-47D | 42-23270 | Seymour Johnson AAF, Goldsboro | KCRGC | Killed in crash, ground landing (?). | 5 | Selma | |
| 1944-04-13 | P-40N | 44-7036 | New Castle AAB, Wilmington, DE | LACGL | Landing accident, caused ground loop. | 3 | RDU AAF, Raleigh | |
| 1944-04-30 | L-5 | 42-15041 | RDU AAF, Raleigh | LACGL | Landing accident, caused ground loop. | 3 | RDU AAF, Raleigh | |
| 1944-05-03 | UC-71 | 42-38287 | Mitchell Field, NY | LACMF | Landing accident due to mechanical failure. | 3 | Ral Muni Airport | |
| 1944-05-09 | B-17G | 42-107167 | Hunter Field, Savannah, GA | KBOF | Killed while bailing out due to fire. | 5 | Raleigh, 5.0 mi SW | |
| 1944-05-25 | L-5 | 42-98333 | RDU AAF | LACGL | Landing accident, caused ground loop. | 3 | RDU AAF | |
| 1944-06-01 | L-5 | 42-14846 | RDU AAF | LAC | Landing accident. | 4 | Method | |
| 1944-06-08 | P-40N | 44-7444 | Romulus AAF, Romulus, MI | LACMF | Landing accident due to mechanical failure. | 3 | RDU AAF | |
| 1944-06-22 | L-3B | 42-36254 | Pope Field, Fort Bragg | FLEF | Forced landing, engine failure | 3 | Pittsboro, Route 1, | |
| 1944-06-29 | L-5 | 42-14996 | RDU AAF | LACNO | Landing accident, ______. | 4 | Camp Butner | |
| 1944-08-03 | L-5 | 42-14904 | RDU AAF, Raleigh | KMACO | Killed in midair collision. | 5 | Neuse, Route 1 | |
| 1944-08-21 | L-5 | 42-98350 | RDU AAF, Raleigh | LACNO | Landing accident, ______. | 3 | Camp Butner | |
| 1944-09-27 | L-5 | 42-98134 | RDU AAF | LACMF | Landing accident due to mechanical failure. | 3 | RDU AAF | |
| 1944-10-05 | L-5 | 42-99169 | RDU AAF | GACNU | Ground accident, __________. | 3 | RDU AAF | |
| 1944-11-09 | L-5 | 42-98227 | RDU Airport | FLEF | Forced landing due to engine failure. | 4 | Lillington, 10 mi NNW | |
| 1944-11-11 | L-3B | 43-27126 | Concord Airport | MAC | Midair collision. | 4 | Raleigh, 4 mi W | |
| 1944-12-09 | L-4B | 42-1052 | FLEF | Forced landing due to engine failure. | Fuquay Springs, 1.4 mi W | |||
| 1944-12-13 | B-25C | 42-32426 | Greenville AAF, SC | KCR | Killed in crash. | 4 | RDU AAF | |
| 1945-12-07 | L-4 | 42-7839 | Camp Butner/NC | CREF | Crashed due to engine failure. | 4 | Durham, 2 mi N | |
| 1949-09-25 | B-26C | 43-22711 | Langley AFB, VA | TAC | Taxiing accident. | 2 | RDU Airport | |
| 1950-07-19 | F-47N | 45-50094 | Harrisburg, PA | TOAEF | Take-off accident, engine failure or fire. | 2 | RDU Airport | |
| 1950-10-19 | TF-51H | 44-64333 | Andrews AFB, MD | KCRW | Killed in crash, due to weather. | 4 | Fuquay Springs, 1 mi W | |
| 1951-01-02 | C-47A | 43-15273 | Donaldson AFB, SC | CRGCW | Crash, ground collision (water?). | 4 | Raleigh, 8 mi W | |
| 1951-04-01 | F-86A | 49-1082 | Otis AFB, MA | FLEFF | Forced landing due engine failure or fire. | 4 | RDU Airport | Air Force Sabre fighter crash lands, after engine failure at 35,000 feet and 20 miles north of airport. No injuries. |
| 1952-03-05 | B-26C | 44-26992 | Langley AFB, VA | SF | Structural failure. | 2 | Raleigh, 14 mi SW | |
| 1953-12-13 | C-45F | 44-87188 | Pope AFB | CBL | Crashed, Belly Landing. | 3 | RDU Airport | |
| 1953-12-13 | C-45F | 44-87188 | Pope AFB | CBL | Crashed, belly landing. | 3 | RDU Airport | |
| 1954-02-14 | F-51H | 44-64198 | Harbor Field, Baltimore, MD | EF | Engine failure or engine fire. | 1 | RDU Airport, 5 mi E |
Copyright 2023 by Michael J. Legeros