Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina near Ambon: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
2304
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
0020
YOM:
1937
Location:
Ambon
Maluku
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The floatplane was shot down by a Japanese fighter and crashed in the region of Ambon. The entire crew was killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina in Ambon

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
2309
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
0021
YOM:
1937
Location:
Ambon
Maluku
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The floatplane was shot down by a Japanese fighter and crashed near Ambon. Crew fate unknown.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina in the Pacific Ocean: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
2413
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Topham - Pearl Harbor
MSN:
0229
YOM:
1941
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The floatplane failed to arrive at destination while on a flight from Topham (Canton Island) to Pearl Harbor with 11 crew members on board. Lost without trace. SAR operations stopped on 10 February 1942.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Alameda NAS

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
2314
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
0033
YOM:
1937
Location:
Alameda NAS (Oakland)
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The floatplane crashed upon landing off Alameda NAS and was damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries among the crew.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY Catalina I near Punta Carnero: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1942 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
AJ157
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Punta Carnero
Andalusia
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The floatplane departed Gibraltar Airport at 0702LT on an operation flight. Thirteen minutes later, it impacted the slope of a hill located west of Punta Carnero. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Peter Bruce Alexander, pilot,
F/O Reginald Clive Derrick, pilot,
F/Lt Sidney Cecil Romer, pilot,
Sgt Geoffrey Gordon Taylor, observer,
Sgt William Godderidge, wireless operator,
Sgt James Johnstone, wireless operator,
Sgt Frank Anthony Westkelsey, wireless operator,
F/Sgt John Turnbull, air gunner,
Sgt George Thomas Darville, air gunner,
Sgt Thomas Idwal Roberts, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Salamaua: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-8
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Port Moresby – Salamaua
MSN:
250
YOM:
1941
Location:
Salamaua
Morobe
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a flight to Salamaua, carrying radio equipment, and was in formation with a second RAAF Catalina registered A24-9. Approaching Salamaua, it was shot down by a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea few hundred yards offshore. Three crew members were killed and five others were rescued.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt Robert Thompson, pilot,
F/Lt Paul Metzler, copilot,
LAC Charles Sollitt, wireless operator,
LAC Leo Clarke, wireless operator, †
AC1 Ken Parkyns, flight engineer,
Cpl Jack Perrett, flight engineer, †
AC1 Bill Blackman, rigger,
LAC James Cox, armourer. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Salamaua: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-9
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Port Moresby – Salamaua
MSN:
259
YOM:
1941
Location:
Salamaua
Morobe
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a flight to Salamaua, carrying radio equipment, and was in formation with a second RAAF Catalina registered A24-8. Approaching Salamaua, it was shot down by a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea few hundred yards offshore. A crew survived while eight others were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
Lt G. Hutchinson, pilot, †
P/O Tom Rowe, copilot, †
Sgt Doug Coote, wireless operator, †
Cpl Jack Wyche, flight engineer, †
LAC Arthur Meadow, wireless operator, †
LAC Alan Downes, wireless operator, †
LAC John Graigie, armourer, †
AC1 Kenneth Murphy, flight engineer, †
Cpl Tom Keen, rigger.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina on Yell Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
Z2148
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale
Location:
Yell Island
Shetland (Zetland)
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The floatplane departed RAF Castle Archdale on a mission over the North Sea, off the Norwegian coast, to attack the German battleship 'Tirpitz'. En route, the pilot became disoriented due to marginal weather conditions then the airplane crashed on the south part of the Yell Island. Seven crew members were killed and three others were rescued.
Crew:
F/Lt Harry Goolden,
P/O Lyle George Schell, observer.
Sgt Sinclair Irvine, flight engineer,
Sgt Alan Oscar Pitcher, flight engineer,
Sgt Albert Roland Breakspear, wireless operator,
Sgt Eugen Henowy, wireless operator,
Sgt Leslie Albert Rowe, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
The pilot became disoriented.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Kavieng: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-11
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Kavieng - Kavieng
MSN:
279
YOM:
1941
Location:
Kavieng
New Ireland
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The seaplane was engaged in a reconnaissance flight in the region of Kavieng, New Ireland. Shortly after take off from the Kavieng's Bay, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control, crashed and sunk immediately in deep water. All eight occupants were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
S/L Tom Davies, pilot,
P/O Russell Hender, copilot,
Cpl Harry Hornby, flight engineer,
LAC Leslie Hoare, flight engineer,
LAC Fred Anthony, wireless operator,
LAC Brian Wilcox, wireless operator,
LAC John Marks, armourer,
LAC C. Ogilvie, rigger.
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