Training

While flying in the vicinity of Watson Lake, on a training mission from Namao Airbase in Edmonton, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines. The captain decided to make an emergency landing and eventually ditched the aircraft into the Watson Lake, near the airport of Watson Lake. A crew member was killed while four others were rescued. The aircraft sank and was lost. It was reported that the aircraft experienced fuel flow problems.

En route, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Guemes located in the center of Vancouver Island. As the aircraft failed to return to its base, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Walkers found the wreckage in a wooded, mountainous and isolated area on October 16, 1961.

The crew was involved in a local training sortie. On landing, the undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft came to rest on its belly. Both pilots, among them an instructor, were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was performing a local training flight in Recife-Guararapes Airport. During the final approach completed by night, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the suburb of Ibura, few dozen yards short of the runway threshold. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

The crew from the 49th Squadron was completing a local training sortie in RAF Upwood. For unknown reason, the aircraft landed hard, bounced and lost its undercarriage. It then slid for several yards before coming to rest. All four crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was engaged in a local training sortie in RAF Dishforth. On final approach with one engine voluntarily inoperative, the aircraft was too low, hit tree tops, stalled and crashed in a field. On ground, the undercarriage were sheared off and the aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest short of the runway threshold. All four crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Rathmines-based No 11 Squadron suffered the loss of a Catalina amphibian and seven crewmen in a night crash on Lord Howe Island on this day. The aircraft had completed the outward leg of a navigation exercise to the island and altered course for home when a serious fuel leak began filling the compartment with petrol vapor 20 minutes into the return leg. The captain decided to turn back to Lord Howe and attempt a landing on the island’s sheltered lagoon. After crossing the island west to east, the aircraft turned back before clipping the ridge line below Malabar Hill at about 1930LT. The Catalina careered down the slope before exploding in flames. Local residents who rushed to the scene extracted two seriously injured crew from the wreck. The death toll was the highest suffered by the RAAF in a peacetime accident up until that time.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt Malcolm D. Smith, †
F/Lt James McCoy, †
F/Lt William D. Keller, †
F/Lt Alex McKenzie, †
Sydney L. Piercey, pilot, †
W/O Sydney H. Bacon, †
W/O Donald E. Salis, †
F/LT Bert R. Bradley,
W/O John D. Lea.
Source:
http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/HistoryRecord/HistoryRecordDetail.aspx?rid=534

The crew left Campo dos Afonsos AFB for a local training flight. The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Angra dos Reis, about 100 km west of Rio de Janeiro. The wreckage was found four days later, all seven crew members were killed.

The crew, consisting of one instructor and three pilots, was completing a local training flight in Buguruslan-Baymakovo Airport. A first training program was completed at an altitude of 1,000 meters and the instructor ordered the crew to return to the airport. On final approach, during the last segment, the instructor ordered the crew to go around and increased power on both engines. During the initial climb, while at a height of 150 meters, the instructor shut down the right engine and feathered its propeller. At the same time, the aircraft banked left up to 30°, stalled, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all four crew members were killed.

The crew was involved in a local training sortie in Lisbon-Portela de Sacavém Airport. For unknown reason, the four engine aircraft landed hard. All five crew members were unhurt but the aircraft was later inspected and considered as damaged beyond repair.