Crash of a Martin B-26G-10-MA Marauder off Nassau: 2 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HD664
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nassau - Nassau
MSN:
8647
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Nassau-Lynden Pindling Field on a local training mission. Shortly after takeoff, the right engine failed. The crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude and the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea some 500 yards offshore, about 7 km northeast of the airport, near the Balmoral Island. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed.
crew:
F/O John Walter Wood, pilot,
F/O Maurice Francis O’Neill, copilot.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine shortly after takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Makaranui

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ413
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New Plymouth - New Plymouth
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, while on a training flight from New Plymouth, the aircraft suffered a fuel exhaustion and the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft came to rest in Makaranui, near Ohakune. While all three occupants were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Port Fairy: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW878
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising along the shore, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea off Port Fairy. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (2nd AOS):
F/Sgt James Henry MacLellan, pilot,
F/Sgt Dennis Leslie Baulderstone, instructor,
LAC Norman Thomas Kruck, student observer,
LAC Brian Carter Ladyman, student observer.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-20-FO Liberator in Twizzle Head Moss: 9 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-94841
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1606
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew did not realize his altitude was insufficient while conducting a training exercise in foggy conditions. The aircraft hit the ground near Twizzle Head Moss and disintegrated. Nine crew members were killed, one injured.
Crew (857th BS):
1st Lt Elmer D. Pitsenbarger, pilot, †
2nd Lt James D. Nendel, copilot, †
F/O Jack M. Bliss, navigator, †
F/O Frank Cser, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Presley E. Farris, flight engineer, †
T/Sgt Zoe W. Zwinge, radio operator, †
T/Sgt Frank A. Villelli, tail gunner,†
S/Sgt Curtis Anderson, waist gunner,
Cpl Charles T. Lowbald, †
Cpl Clarence S. Watson. †

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Ellingstring: 6 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NF963
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a navigation exercise over England. En route, the captain leaves the controls to the Flight Engineer, a quite common practice by the RAF in case the captain would be injured. In such case, another crew member would be able to continue the flight. En route, at least one engine failed. Before the captain could re-gain control, the aircraft dove into the ground and broke in mid-air before crashing in a pasture. Six crew members were killed while the captain was seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O Stanley Herbert Hayter, pilot,
Sgt Leon Asher Bassman, flight engineer, †
F/O Thomas Yestyn Thomas, navigator, †
F/O Robert Ranui Bradshaw, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Arthur Joseph Pearce, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt John Patrick Sheridan, air gunner, †
Sgt James McVey, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in Mt Egmont: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4544
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Ohakea - Ohakea
MSN:
5744
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route, while flying in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the base of Mt Egmont (Mt Taranaki) located south of New Plymouth. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
F/O Jack Martin,
F/Sgt Arnold Hill,
Sgt Harold Day,
Sgt James McKay,
Sgt Frank Webb.
Probable cause:
According to the investigations, the aircraft was off course at the time of the accident, most probably due to a navigation error caused by an insufficient visibility.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-1-NT Liberator near Wenatchee: 6 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-78579
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
535
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While performing a training exercise in the region of Wenatchee, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. In low visibility, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and disintegrated. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Terminal Island NAS: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
46599
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1963
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at Terminal Island NAS. At least three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL near Mackall AFB: 12 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-23783
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lumberton - Lumberton
MSN:
9645
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Crashed some 5 miles W of AAF Camp Mackall Field, while on a night parachute drop exercise. The airplane was part of a six-ship formation that had departed Lumberton AAF on a night time parachute drop. The aircraft were flying in a V of V's formation dropping parachute supply bundles near Camp MacKall. The aircraft collided with the parachute bundle dropped from a preceding airplane. The bundle hit the control surface of the right hand wing. The airplane rolled out of control and entered a spin. The pilot could not recover from the spin and the airplane crashed and burned.
Source: http://www.joebaugher.com
Probable cause:
In flight collision with a parachute bundle.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 in Louisburg: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
39077
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
10204
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training exercise. While practicing stalls, the crew lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All five crew members were killed.