Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Atlantic Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FP240
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Killadeas - Killadeas
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The float plane left Killadeas NAS, Northern Ireland, on a training mission over the Atlantic Ocean when he crashed in unknown circumstances into the ocean. No trace of the aircraft nor the 9 crew members was ever found.
Crew (131st OTU):
F/O Francis Peter Graves,
Sgt Robert Anderson,
Sgt Edwin Alfred Dennis Barnes,
Sgt Earl Darragh Morrison,
Sgt Alexander Fordyce Sutherland,
Sgt Allan Douglas Warder,
Sgt John Glynne Williams,
Sgt Owen Douglas Hodgkison,
Sgt John George Ley.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Nigg: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L2168
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Invergordon - Invergordon
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Invergordon to perform a night training mission consisting of landing practice. Apparently, an engine caught fire in flight and the seaplane crashed into the Cromarty Firth off the village of Nigg. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (4th OTU):
George Robert Sawhill Riddell,
John Raymond Harnwell,
William McCarroll,
Sydney Albert Spencer.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Penygroes: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MG111
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Penrhos - Penrhos
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
During a training flight from RAF Penrhos, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Craig Cwm shrouded in cloud and located southeast of Penygroes. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (9th AFU):
Sgt Jozef Szczerbaty, pilot,
F/Sgt James Davies, air gunner,
AC2 Ronald Ross, air gunner,
AC2 Philip Andrew Shields, air gunner,
AC2 Herbert Henry Sutton, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Enniskillen: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DP181
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On landing on Lough Erne off Enniskillen, a bow split opened, causing the seaplane to sink. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (423rd Squadron):
W/O William D. Scott,
W/O Charles McDowell Hardcastle,
F/O Rowland W. Hill,
F/O Walter G. Arnold,
P/O Gordon I. Raymond.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in the Snowdonia Mountains: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9855
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Halfpenny Green - Halfpenny Green
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft and crew were stationed at RAF Halfpenny Green to the south west of Wolverhampton. During the evening of the 8th November 1943 to crew of five took off for a night navigation exercise. The route was to have covered ~320 miles passing over of close to the following points Base - Rhyl - Conwy - Douglas - Maughold Head - Chetton - Base. A short way into the flight the crew received a QDM from RAF Tilstock of 0500 with the location of the aircraft being assumed to be in the area of 4 miles NW of Shawbury roughly on course for Rhyl. It was next plotted by the Royal Observer Corps on a route that appeared to be a direct track from Wrexham to Conwy. A direct track from the Wrexham area to Conwy would not normally have taken an aircraft into Snowdonia, but on the night there was a 15 mph wind blowing from west north west which the Court of Inquiry remarked on as "if correction for drift was not taken the aircraft would drift south of the second turning point". At around 20:30 the ROC observed a fire near Carnedd Dafydd, shortly before this the aircraft while flying in a north westerly direction had impacted the upper slopes of Pen yr Ole Wen. The aircraft's engines had been torn off and rolled almost 1000 feet down the mountain and the fuel tanks had ruptured with their contents igniting. The fuselage was destroyed but was not burnt by the fire.
Crew (3rd AFU):
Sgt Ernest Andrew Hoagg, pilot,
Sgt John Hedgley Lewis, navigator,
Sgt William Gavin, bomb aimer,
Sgt Leslie John Hill, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Douglas John Roberts, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source: http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/wales/walesn9855.htm

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in RAF Ternhill: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4934
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ternhill - Ternhill
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a Ground Controlled Interception exercise and was carrying two passengers and a crew of two. After take off, while climbing, the pilot attempted a turn to the left when the aircraft collided with a RAF Miles Master registered EM821 and carrying a crew of two as well. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field and were destroyed. All six occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Anson's crew:
P/O John Rothwell, pilot,
F/Sgt Clement James Walsh, pilot.
Anson's passengers:
F/Lt Verdun Frederick McDonald,
Cpl Lawrence Allen Manners.
Master's crew:
F/O James Orville Cross, pilot,
F/Sgt Denis Frank Carter, pilot.
Source: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=144970

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL in Elmendorf AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-23848
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Elmendorf - Elmendorf
MSN:
9710
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off from Elmendorf AFB, killing both crew members.
Crew:
2nd Lt Robert W. Jones,
2nd Lt Leonard H. Walton.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Donegal: 9 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FP120
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training mission off Donegal, Ireland. In flight, the float plane exploded and crashed into the sea. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Phillip Bacon,
Sgt Cyril Barraclough,
F/O Douglas Haig Disney,
F/O Kenneth Hipwell,
Sgt James Male,
F/Lt Edward Earle Muffitt,
Sgt Charles Edward Poots,
Sgt Harold Edwin Scarman,
Sgt Albert Upton.
Probable cause:
Without certainty, RAF Command declared the crash could be caused by the explosion of a bomb stored in the cargo compartment (depth charges).

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DL in Mackall AFB: 14 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
42-23391
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mackall - Mackall
MSN:
9253
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Mackall AFB early in the evening for a para-drop training mission. While approaching the drop zone at a height of 300 feet, the left engine failed. Due to low height, it was impossible for the paratroopers to leave the cabin so the crew decided to return to the base. On final approach, the aircraft was misaligned and the captain decided to go around and increased power on the right engine. The aircraft continued on a flat attitude and then banked sharply to the left. It hit tree tops, stalled and crashed short of runway. Six occupants were rescued while all 14 others were killed.
The 4 crew members killed were:
2nd Lt Richard A. Christian,
2nd Lt Charles C. Hinson,
Cpt Leroy A. Listug Jr.,
S/Sgt James McGarthy.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the failure on the left engine was not determined with certainty. However, US Command noted that fuel contained in the tanks was a 91 octane fuel and it should be relevant to use a 100 octane fuel in the future.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Fort Benning AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
41-18416
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fort Benning AFB - Fort Benning AFB
MSN:
4478
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a training mission and left Fort Benning AFB at 1945LT for touch and go maneuvers. While completing a last turn to the runway, the aircraft hit the ground with its left wing, cartwheeled and crashed in flames 4,7 miles short of runway. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Pvt William N. Copeland,
2nd Lt Howard W. Hand,
1st Lt Ben W. Herr,
Cpl Vomell G. Parrish,
Sgt Andrew Sozanski Jr.,
Ferdinand Stumpt.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by an error on part of the crew who misjudged the distance to the ground. Poor visibility due to night and marginal weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.