Investigation Summary
The aircraft, assigned to the 401st Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group, departed England at 6:00 am for a mission targeting industrial sites near Berlin. Following the bombing run, the formation was engaged by flak northeast of Berlin. A direct hit ignited a fire behind the pilot's seat and wounded one crew member. Believing the aircraft was lost, Lieutenant William F. Nee ordered an evacuation. However, the fire had already severed the intercom lines to the rear of the aircraft. While the three officers in the cockpit (pilot, co-pilot, and navigator) bailed out and were subsequently captured by German forces, the six men in the rear remained on board, successfully fought the fire, and realized they were flying pilotless. 2nd Lt. Fredric T. Neel Jr., a navigator, and Donald E. Spaulding, a rear gunner, took over the controls despite neither being a trained pilot. They navigated toward Sweden, but upon arrival, the Swedish military, perceiving the unidentified and damaged bomber as a threat, opened fire. As the aircraft circled the coast, Neel ordered the remaining crew to bail out. Two men drowned in the Baltic Sea, while three survived. Neel remained at the controls to ensure the B-17 did not strike a school or residential buildings in Örnahusen, eventually crashing 50 to 100 meters offshore.
Final Conclusions
The loss of the aircraft was primarily caused by combat damage sustained from German anti-aircraft fire, which disabled the internal communications and forced a partial evacuation. The subsequent crash was the result of the aircraft's degraded flight state and the crew's attempt to perform an emergency water landing in a neutral territory while under fire from local defenses. 2nd Lt. Fredric T. Neel Jr. was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 2006 for his actions in preventing ground casualties.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Interphone System
The internal communication wires were severed by fire, leading to a critical failure in Crew Resource Management where the rear crew was unaware the pilots had bailed out.
B-17G Flight Controls
The aircraft remained flyable enough for non-pilot crew members to navigate it from Germany to the Swedish coast.
Interesting Facts
- 01The intercom wires behind the pilot's seat were burned out, preventing the rear crew from hearing the bail-out order.
- 022nd Lt. Fredric T. Neel Jr. and Donald E. Spaulding flew the aircraft to Sweden despite not being trained pilots.
- 03The Swedish military fired at the aircraft because they perceived the damaged, circling bomber as a threat.
- 04Neel was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 2006 for his bravery in steering the plane away from a school and homes.
- 05A propeller from the aircraft is currently displayed as a memorial on the beach at Örnahusen.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Posthumous Recognition
2nd Lt. Fredric T. Neel Jr. was awarded the Purple Heart in 2006 for his actions in staying with the aircraft to protect civilians on the ground.
Location
ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the wikidata coordinate.