490' Gasometer at 73rd and Central Park and a crashed B-24E

(Satellite)

The 490' height includes the beacon on top.

Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 posted two photos with the comment:

20 May 1943. In what was the most spectacular aviation accident to occur in the continental United States during The Second World War, a Consolidated B-24E flying in instrument conditions collided with a 490-foot 20,000,000 cubic foot natural gas holding tower two miles southeast of Chicago Municipal Airport (now called Midway Airport) killing 12 fliers. The airplane took off from Fort Worth, Texas, on a navigation training flight to Chicago. When the airplane arrived at Chicago the crew discovered that the airport was closed due to poor weather conditions. The pilot was a unable to land. The procedure for a missed instrument approach was for the pilot to fly out a few miles on the runway heading and make a 180 degree left turn for the do over. The crew turned right and on the reciprocal course collided with the natural gas holder. The tank blew up violently, shooting flames over one thousand feet into the air. No one on the ground was injured or killed. The airplane collided with holding tank just to the right of the building in the photo just below where it reads "Chicago" on the top of the tank.

Anthony J. Mireles shared with the same comment.

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May 2023 Update: 

Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 commented on their post
B-24E 42-7053.
Killed in the accident were: Capt James R. Gilchrist, instructor pilot; 2Lt. David Alter, B-24 student; 2Lt. Frederick L. Dutt, B-24 student; 2Lt. John C. Wallace, B-24 student; 1Lt. H.B. Messick, navigator; SSgt. Norman W. Yutzy, engineer; TSgt. Ben F. Zumwalt, engineer; Pfc. Nick Lonchar, student engineer; Capt. A.W. Lent, passenger; Sgt. A.A. Huber, passenger; Capt. John M. Wallace, passenger; 2Lt. A.L. Gentry. RIP men, you will be remembered.

The building in the second photo is gone. A Jun 2016 street view did not have it, but this view did have it.

Street View, Dec 2015

Bob Lalich posted
I just discovered that the gas holder in this photo, located near 73rd and Central Park, was hit by a B-24 bomber in 1943 in a tragic crash. The crew of 12 died and the top of the gas holder was blown off in a huge explosion. Fortunately there were no houses nearby at the time and no other deaths or injuries.
 I was told that there are more photos on this page of the gas holder, before and after the accident. I tried a quick look through the photo section and came up empty. Does anyone have them marked or is there a better way to search for them?

Anthony J. Mireles commented on Bob's post

Midway Airport (Pat B.) Flickr
Chicago Municipal Airport -1940 - Chicago Midway
"Two-Mile Tank" This is a 485ft. holding tank filled with 20,000,000 cubic feet of natural gas owned by The Peoples Gas, Light and Coke utility of Chicago. It was 2 miles SE of the airport and was used by pilots as a navigational aid. It was roughly in line with Runway 31. On May 20, 1943 a B-24E crashed into this tank causing an enormous explosion visible from the planet Mongo. By the way, the building on the left stands today and is still owned by the gas company.

Midway Airport (Pat B.) Flickr
Chicago Municipal Airport - B-24 Crash into Two-Mile Tank
B-24 Bomber Liberator Crash 1943. The 20,000,000 cubic foot gas holding tank, which was located approximately two miles southeast of the airport, was described as a 285 foot 28-sided polygon, “381 feet from ground level to the eaves, 404 feet high to the highest point of the crown, 416 feet high to the top of the roof ventilator; 486 feet high to the top of the beacon tower; and 490 feet high t the top of the 1.000 watt light. Investigation revealed that the B-24E, flying from the northeast, collided with the gas holding tank at approximately the 200-foot level, causing the tank to explode violently into flames. The fire, which reached hundreds of feet into the air, was reported to be visible through the fog. The terrific explosion was heard and felt for miles. May 20, 1943

Comment on B-24 Flickr
[The link returns a 404.]

Michael Lopez posted
Two-Mile Tank" This is a 485ft. holding tank filled with 20,000,000 cubic feet of natural gas owned by The Peoples Gas, Light and Coke utility of Chicago. It was 2 miles SE of the airport and was used by pilots as a navigational aid. It was roughly in line with Runway 31. On May 20, 1943 a B-24E crashed into this tank causing an enormous explosion visible for miles. The small building on the left stands today and is still owned by the gas company.

At 1144 CWT, a Consolidated B-24E flying in instrument conditions crashed into the side of a 20,000,000 cubic foot natural gas holding tank at 73rd Street and Central Park Avenue, Chicago, IL, killing 12 crewmembers and passengers.

History of Flight

The airplane had taken off at 0650 CWT from Tarrant Field, Fort Worth, TX, on a cross-country navigation flight to Chicago Municipal Airport, and return. The airplane had flown on top of overcast or on instruments for most of the flight to Chicago. The airplane encountered real instrument conditions when it arrived in the vicinity of Chicago. Weather conditions were reported as a ceiling of 500 feet or lower, with visibility of three-quarters of a mile in light rain, light fog and light smoke.

The B-24 instructor pilot had contacted Chicago air traffic controllers and was cleared to make an instrument approach. The pilot was cleared to land to the northeast on Runway 4C (center). The airplane passed directly over the field at 1140 but the pilot was unable to get below the ceiling and make visual contact with the field, forcing him to execute a missed approach. The aircraft flew to the northeast and the pilot began a right turn until the airplane was heading southwest.

Confusion & a Series of Errors

The pilot was having trouble communicating with the Chicago control tower, possibly due to static or perhaps confusion over the missed approach. As the pilot attempted to get under the ceiling, the control tower again cleared the B-24E to land to the northeast on Runway 4C, transmitting the instruction twice. The pilot did not respond to the instruction and the airplane collided with the gas holding tan at that instant.

Inferno

The 20,000,000 cubic foot gas holding tank, which was located approximately two miles southeast of the airport, was described as a 285 foot 28-sided polygon, “381 feet from ground level to the eaves, 404 feet high to the highest point of the crown, 416 feet high to the top of the roof ventilator; 486 feet high to the top of the beacon tower; and 490 feet high t the top of the 1.000 watt light.”

Investigation revealed that the B-24E, flying from the northeast, collided with the gas holding tank at approximately the 200-foot level, causing the tank to explode violently into flames. The fire, which reached hundreds of feet into the air, was reported to be visible through the fog. The terrific explosion was heard and felt for miles.

All the fliers died. One man had been hurled clear of the wreckage when the tail was severed in the blast and was incinerated in the massive blaze. Only a small amount of human remains were recovered. No one on the ground was killed or injured. The gas holding tank was owned and operated by the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, Chicago.

It was noted that Springfield, Illinois, air traffic controllers alerted the B-24 instructor pilot that Chicago Municipal Airport was reported to be closed down. The pilot stated that he would “try to make it anyway.”

Onboard the aircraft were:

Capt James Gilcrease, Houston, TX, instructor pilot

2nd Lt David Alter, Pittsburg, Penn, student pilot

2nd Lt Frederick Dutt, Wadsworth, Ohio, pilot

2nd Lt John C. Wallace, Luling, TX, pilot

Capt A.W. Lent, Hamilton Field, CA, passenger

Capt John M. Wallace, Camp Barkeley, TX, passenger

2nd Lt A.L. Gentry, hometown unknown, passenger (disabled with back injury on sick leave)

T/Sgt Ben Zumwalt, Ingram, TX, Engineer

T/Sgt Norman Yutsky, Canton, Ohio, Engineer

Sgt Arthur Huber, NY, NY, Engineer

Pfc Mick Lonchar, Weirton, W. Virginia, Student Engineer

1st Lt H.B. Messick, Indianapolis, Indiana, Navigator

Nina D. Gaspich: Harking back to a previous discussion...I believe this was filled with "coal gas" or "town gas" rather than natural gas, which didn't really come into play until the postwar era.
Philip Wizenick: Nina D. Gaspich: I recall in the early 1950's when the gas was switched to natural, the gas Co. had to go around the city and adjust gas stoves for it. They found several people still using gas for illumination and it made a news story.
[A lot of comments about gas pipes still being in houses after electrification. In fact, some houses ran the cloth-wrapped wires through the gas pipes as conduits.]

Chicago Tribune May 7, 2023, p18
"The world's largest gas storage tank"
[This graphic is wrong. It was "just" 381' to the eaves. It is in an article about more than 13,000 people were killed during flight training for WWII.]