B-25 Bomber Crash Site Hike: Sharp Top Mountain (Virginia) – History & Guide
Last Updated on 2026-01-31 by NatureCrank
On the night of February 2, 1943, a B-25 Mitchell bomber crashed into the southern slope of Sharp Top Mountain, part of the Peaks of Otter along Virginia’s Blue Ridge Parkway, during a low-level nighttime training mission gone awry. The service members came from the Columbia Army Air Base in South Carolina.
The aircraft, carrying a crew of five Army airmen, struck the mountain at approximately 3,100 feet, resulting in the tragic loss of all aboard. The crash, attributed to the plane flying too low in poor visibility, left scattered wreckage across the rugged terrain, with remnants like the rear section and other debris still visible today.
The site, nestled in dense forest, has become a somber destination for hikers willing to brave a moderately strenuous, often unmarked trail to pay respects to the fallen and explore a piece of World War II history.
Quick Facts: Sharp Top Mountain B-25 Crash
- Location: Peaks of Otter, Blue Ridge Parkway (Near Bedford, VA)
- Trail Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
- Wreckage Visible: Rear tail section, wing fragments, and engine parts
- Coordinates: Approximately 37.433° N, 79.610° W
- Memorial Plaque: Dedicated February 2, 2001
The plaque reads:
ON FEBRUARY 2, 1943
AIRCRAFT 129828
FROM COLUMBIA ARMY AIR BASE, SOUTH CAROLINA, CRASHED INTO SHARP TOP MOUNTAIN.
THE B-25D MITCHELL BOMBER WAS ON A LOW-LEVEL, NIGHTTIME NAVIGATIONAL TRAINING MISSION.
THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED ON THE CRASH SITE IN MEMORY OF THE FIVE BRAVE AIRMEN WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY.
2ND LT. GEORGE R. BENINGA • BOMBARDIER AGE 23, MARIETTA, MINNESOTA
CORPORAL PETER J. BISCAN – ENGINEER AGE 29, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
2ND LT. HILARY S. BLACKWELL • NAVIGATOR AGE 22, SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
2ND LT. WILLIAM C. MCCLURE • CO-PILOT AGE 22; INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
2ND LT. PAUL M. PITTS– PILOT AGE 21, POTEAU, OKLAHOMA
“IN SOLEMN SALUTE TO THOSE THOUSANDS OF OUR COMRADES — GREAT, BRAVE MEN THAT THEY WERE — FOR WHOM THERE WILL BE NO HOMECOMING, EVER.” ERNIE PYLE
IN FINAL TRIBUTE
FEBRUARY 2, 2001
UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS
The hike to the B-25 crash site is both a physical and reflective journey, drawing adventurers to Sharp Top Mountain for its historical significance and commanding views from nearby overlooks. The trail is a little challenging to some due to its steep, rocky paths, leading through thick woods where the forest is slowly reclaiming the wreckage. However, it is doable as long as you don’t have any underlying health problems. Be sure to drink water beforehand and during the hike, especially in summer.
The forest is slowly reclaiming the fuselage, a quiet reminder of the 1943 training mission tragedy. Scattered wreckage across the rugged terrain serves as a somber memorial to the five service members lost here. Up close, the dented and jagged edges and rivets of the B-25 wing serve as a visceral connection to the aircraft’s final moments in 1943. Resting at approximately 3,100 feet, the wing section remains a permanent part of the Sharp Top landscape, slowly being integrated into the forest floor. 
Maximus (at two years old) and I at the site in March 2012. Being there as a veteran brings a different level of perspective to the sacrifice these five men made.
The site’s remote location and the effort required to reach it add to its mystique, making it a poignant reminder of sacrifice amid the natural beauty of Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Having served this country as an infantryman in the US Army, I’m reminded of those who paid that ultimate sacrifice and how I am one of the fortunate to still be living. May the memory of these men and women never fade.
Regardless of your feelings on war, I know I have many mixed feelings myself; people on all sides lost their lives. I point no fingers; instead, I think of the friends and families who are hurting to this day because of conflicts all across the world.
So, this Memorial Day, I send tribute to all the men and women who have lost their lives in wars and conflicts past, but especially these five service members:
| Name | Rank | Age | Hometown |
| Paul M. Pitts | 2nd Lt. (Pilot) | 21 | Poteau, OK |
| William C. McClure | 2nd Lt. (Co-Pilot) | 22 | Indianapolis, IN |
| Hilary S. Blackwell | 2nd Lt. (Navigator) | 22 | Santa Monica, CA |
| George R. Beninga | 2nd Lt. (Bombardier) | 23 | Marietta, MN |
| Peter J. Biscan | Corporal (Engineer) | 29 | Chicago, IL |
Rest in Peace, Gentlemen. We remember.
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