Date & Time:
Mar 4, 1945 at 2005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77654
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Achiet - Folkingham
MSN:
33050
YOM:
1944
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base in RAF Folkingham after he delivered a glider at Achiet-B54 AFB, Pas-de-Calais. Approaching the London area, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility. At 1925LT, the radio operator informed ground that he was lost and, while cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet, was unable to locate the aerodromes of Hawkinge, Lympne or Detling. Thus, the crew decided to leave the area and continued to the east to reach an airport out of the London area. While approaching Ipswich, the aircraft was mistakenly shot down by a British antiaircraft battery and crashed into the sea few hundred yards off Orford. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by a British antiaircraft battery while overflying a prohibited area.
