The day a B-25 bomber crashed into the 79th floor of the Empire State building

The 1945 B-25 Bomber Crash (New York)

Thick fog covered New York City on Saturday, July 28, 1945. World War II had just ended in Europe seven weeks earlier, but New Yorkers still went about their morning routines. Lieutenant Colonel William F. Smith Jr. flew a B-25 Mitchell bomber on a routine trip.

The B-25 was a twin-engine plane widely used during the war. No one could have predicted the disaster about to happen nearly 1,000 feet above the city streets.

A Decorated Pilot Flying in Dense Fog

William Smith was only 27 years old but already had an impressive military career. He graduated from West Point and flew over 40 combat missions in Europe with the Eighth Air Force.

As deputy commander of the 457th Bombardment Group, Smith had plenty of flying experience. However, he had only flown a B-25 bomber once before this day. This lack of experience with the aircraft would soon prove critical.

The Flight’s Unexpected Passengers

Two men joined Smith on the flight. Staff Sergeant Christopher Domitrovich worked as the flight mechanic. Navy Aviation Machinist’s Mate Albert Perna got a last-minute spot on the plane.

Perna was traveling to see his parents after learning his brother had died in combat. Their B-25, nicknamed “Old John Feather Merchant,” had trained combat crews before becoming a transport plane.

Fateful Decisions in Low Visibility

Smith called LaGuardia Tower when he was about 15 miles south of the airport. The controllers warned him about the heavy fog and suggested he land there instead of continuing.

Smith ignored this advice and asked to proceed to Newark Airport. The tower granted permission but warned him that the fog was so thick they couldn’t even see the top of the Empire State Building from their position. This warning went unheeded.

The Wrong Turn into Manhattan

Smith dropped below the safety minimum of 2,000 feet, hoping to see better near the ground. In the thick fog, he mistook Welfare Island (now Roosevelt Island) for Manhattan. This error put him on a dangerous path through the city’s tall buildings.

Smith barely missed the Chrysler Building, then flew down 42nd Street and turned south on 5th Avenue. He was now headed straight for the Empire State Building.

The Moment of Impact

At 9:49 a.m., the B-25 crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building at about 200 miles per hour. The plane hit between the 78th and 79th floors, where the War Relief Services and National Catholic Welfare Council had offices.

The impact tore an 18-by-20-foot hole through the wall of what was then the world’s tallest building. Because it was Saturday, fewer people were at work than on a weekday.

Fires Engulf Multiple Floors

The plane’s fuel caught fire immediately, creating a fireball that spread through the upper floors. Flames moved down corridors and reached as far as the 75th floor. Most deaths happened in the War Relief Services and National Catholic Welfare Council offices.

New York firefighters carried their equipment up dozens of flights of stairs and put out the fire in just 40 minutes, a remarkable achievement.

Debris Rains Down on Manhattan

One of the plane’s engines tore completely through the building and flew out the south wall. This engine traveled across a city block and crashed onto a building on 33rd Street. The engine destroyed sculptor Henry Hering’s penthouse art studio.

The fire burned about $75,000 worth of artwork, which would be over $1 million today. Parts of the plane scattered across several blocks of the city.

Betty Lou Oliver’s First Brush with Death

Betty Lou Oliver, a 20-year-old elevator operator, worked on the 80th floor that morning. The crash threw her out of her elevator car, leaving her with severe burns and broken bones.

She suffered fractures to her back, pelvis, and neck but somehow stayed conscious. First aid workers found her in the wreckage and put her on a stretcher to take her down for medical care. Her ordeal was far from over.

The Record-Breaking Elevator Fall

Rescuers placed Oliver in another elevator to take her to the ground floor. They didn’t know the second engine had fallen down an elevator shaft and cut the cables of several elevators, including this one.

When the doors closed, the damaged cables snapped. The elevator, with Oliver still on her stretcher inside, plummeted 75 stories—about 1,000 feet—to the basement of the Empire State Building.

The Miracle Survival

Oliver survived the massive fall due to air pressure that built up in the shaft as the elevator fell, slowing it down. Severed cables piled at the bottom created a cushion that softened the impact.

Rescue workers found Oliver alive in the crushed elevator and carefully freed her from the wreckage. Her incredible survival earned her a place in the Guinness World Records for the longest survived elevator fall in history.

Visiting Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is at 350 Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building has two observatories – the 86th Floor outdoor deck and the 102nd Floor indoor observatory with 360-degree views.

Visitors can learn about the 1945 crash on the 80th floor exhibits, which include historical photos and information panels about the B-25 incident. The actual crash site between the 78th and 79th floors is not open to the public.

Tickets range from $44-$79 depending on how high you want to go. The building opens daily at 8am and closes at 2am, with last elevators at 1:15am. Buy tickets online to avoid lines. Children under 6 enter free.

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