1946 Antarctica PBM Mariner crash
The 1946 Antarctica PBM Mariner crash occurred on 30 December 1946, on Thurston Island, Antarctica when a United States Navy Martin PBM-5 Mariner crashed during a blizzard.
 Wreckage and survivors of the crash photographed on 11 January 1947 | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 30 December 1946 |
| Summary | Severe weather |
| Site | Thurston Island, Antarctica |
| Aircraft type | Martin PBM Mariner |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Registration | 59098 |
| Crew | 9 |
| Fatalities | 3 |
| Survivors | 6 |
The crash
The aircraft, Bureau Number 59098, callsign "George 1", hit a ridge and burned while supporting Operation Highjump. The crash killed crewmembers Aviation Radiomen Wendell K. Hendersin and Fredrick W. Williams and Ensign Maxwell A. Lopez. Six surviving crewmembers, including Aviation Radioman James H. Robbins, pilot Ralph "Frenchy" LeBlanc and co-pilot William Kearns, were rescued 13 days later by an aircraft from USS Pine Island (AV-12). Hendersin, Williams, and Lopez were buried at the crash site and their remains have not been recovered.
A two-expedition recovery mission was planned, but subsequently cancelled, for both November 2008 and November 2009 to recover the three fatalities of the crash from their 150-foot-deep 61-year-old temporary grave.
References
- Huddleston, Scott (September 17, 2009). "Families, Navy at odds over 1946 crash" (Newspaper article). San Antonio Express News. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
- Hoffman, Carl (July 1, 2007). "Buried at the Bottom of the World" (Magazine article). Air & Space Smithsonian. Retrieved October 30, 2009.