GROUP ACCIDENT - P38 LIGHTNING
AT AMBERLEY AIRFIELD, QLD
ON 25 NOVEMBER 1942

On 25 November 1942, Lt. Rauch of the 17th Fighter Squadron (Provisional), 5th Air Force, USAAF was piloting P-38 Lightning #42-12646 "Synchronized Sal" when the right prop ran away during take-off. The P-38 did not leave the ground. When the aircraft was three quarters of the way down the runway, Lt. Rauch cut the throttles and tried to stop the aircraft. Workmen working on the runway extension jumped out of their rolling machines and scrambled for safety. The P-38 ran among the equipment with hitting any of it. It crossed the road and Lt. Rauch stopped the aircraft at the end of the extension. Lt. Rauch was the first pilot to try out the new runway. One of the workmen ended up quitting his job of constructing the runway. He decided he would rather be minus a job than have an aircraft land on top of him. Both brakes on the P-38 Lightning were burnt out.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Gordon Birkett for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 19 June 2024

This page last updated 19 June 2024