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"Carolyn"


Serial #: 41-35071
Construction #: -
Civil Registration:
  N5546N
  N500T
  XB-LOX
Model(s):
  B-26C
  TB-26C
  B-26C-T
Name: Carolyn
Status: Destroyed
Last info: 1995
Related Sites:
B26MARAUDER.COM
   History:
United Airlines, Sept. 9, 1946.
- Registered as N5546N.
Leland H. Cameron/Allied Aircraft Co, North Hollywood, CA, Mar. 29, 1948.
Leland H. Cameron/Advanced Industries, North Hollywood, CA, June 1, 1949.
- Flew as Bendix racer #24/Valley Turtle.
S. Murray, Oakland, CA, Apr. 5, 1950.
Tennesee Gas Transmission Co, Houston, TX, Aug. 29, 1951-1957.
- Converted to B-26C-T exectuive model by Airesearch Aviation Service, Los Angeles, CA, circa 1953.
- Registered as N500T, Mar. 28, 1957.
- Reregistered as N5546N, July 22, 1957.
William C. Wold & Association, New York, NY, Sept. 23, 1959.
California Airmotive Corp, Van Nuys, CA, Apr. 15, 1961.
Bacon Aircraft Co, Santa Monica, CA, Sept. 7, 1961.
Ing. Jorge Mendez/PEMEX Corp, Mexico, Sept. 11, 1961.
- Registered as XB-LOX.
Ace Norris, Chatanooga, TN, Oct. 1965.
Ace Norris/Aero Carpet, Chatanooga, TN, Nov. 17, 1965.
- Reregistered as N5546N.
Carolina Aircraft Corp, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Feb. 24, 1966.
Westernair of Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM, Mar. 2, 1966.
W. Meller Associates, Sept. 11, 199.
- Used for engine testing.
State Bank of Greeley, Greeley, CO, Nov. 10, 1967.
CAF/Commemorative Air Force, Harlingen, TX, Nov. 1967-1995.
- Undercarriage collapsed during engine run, 1969.
- Rebuild begun Oct. 1975.
- First flight, Sept. 11, 1984.
- Nose gear collapsed, Harlingen (repaired), Oct. 12, 1985.
- Destroyed in fatal accident during forced landing, Harlingen, TX, September 28, 1995.

NTSB Identification: FTW95FA406.

Accident occurred SEP-28-95 at ODESSA, TX
Aircraft: MARTIN B-26C, registration: N5546N
Injuries: 5 Fatal.

Witnesses observed the aircraft approximately 250 feet above the ground heading towards the southwest. As the aircraft passed overhead, the "engines were sputtering." Approximately 3/4 mile from the witnesses, the aircraft made a "sharp" right turn, nosed down, and impacted the ground. The engines "quit" prior to the aircraft turning right. According to the operator, the flight was in preparation for a flight evaluation for the pilot-in-command by an FAA inspector. The pilot reported to Departure Control that he would be "working on stalls and steep turns," and the pilot was instructed to "maintain VFR at or above five thousand five hundred." The pilot-in-command had accumulated approximately 500 hours in the B-26. Prior to the accident flight, he had flown the B-26 once since October 8, 1993. That flight was on September 26, 1995, for a duration of 30 minutes. Prior to the flight the fuel tanks were "sticked" and the total fuel was approximately 720 gallons of 100 octane low lead avg as. Examination of the airplane and engines did not disclose any premishap discrepancies. Due to the extent of damage, flight control continuity could not be established.
Probable Cause
the failure of the pilot to maintain minimum airspeed for flight resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin. Factors were the loss of power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's lack of recent flight experience in the aircraft.
Source(s):
Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989.
NTSB, www.ntsb.gov
 Photo Source(s):
Unknown.