B-25J 44-31401 crash east of Lake Havasu City AZ on August 11, 1945
Copyright © Chris McDoniel
August 11, 1945, B-25J, 44-31401, based at Yuma AAF, crashed near present day Lake Havasu City. Little debris remains. According to the mishap report, the aircraft flew into the mountain after encountering low clouds and rain. All five men aboard the plane died. Small debris is scattered high on one of the ridges and one radial engine is easily accessible lower down the mountain.
Fatally Injured:
Robert L Laird
Juan S. Madero Jr.
John W. Winter
William G. Winter
William F. Strange
Landing gear and possible firewall. Photo from my personal collection.
Landing gear from a recent trip to revisit the crash site.
Might have been a battery box. I don’t think it was an ammo can.
Door Lock mechanism? It was hard to read.
Original crash site photo from my personal collection.
Portion of the wing. (P-38.com was my old website.)
Scattered debris at B-18 crash site.
Agassiz Peak