Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Whitehaven: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R9780
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Millom - Millom
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off on a training flight from RAF Millom, Cumberland. At Whitehaven, about 30 miles to the north, the plane suffered structural failure leading to a crash and the loss of all five aircrew. It was subsequently found that there was an inherent defect in the structure, which would have been undetectable beforehand, and all similar aircraft were grounded for a time until reinforcement work was carried out to prevent a recurrence.
Crew (2nd AFU):
F/O Henry Joseph O’Gara,
Sgt Vincent James Dunnigan,
Sgt Thomas Inman,
Sgt Cyril Johnson,
Sgt Rene Harold Murphy.
Source: http://2ndww.blogspot.co.uk/2008_09_01_archive.html
Probable cause:
Structural failure in flight.

Crash of Martin B-26 Marauder into Clifton Bay: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FB454
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nassau - Nassau
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Nassau Airport on a local training flight. After takeoff, it caught fire for unknown reasons and dove into the sea, crashing into the Clifton Bay, west of Nassau. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Roland Henry Barber, pilot,
F/O Douglas Waitt Whitehurst Cormack, pilot,
F/O Denis Durward, pilot,
F/L John Griffith Owen, pilot.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-15-CO Liberator into the Pacific Ocean: 10 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
41-24041
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pocatello - Pocatello
MSN:
836
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Pocatello Airport at 0551LT on a training mission with 10 crew members on board. The program consisted on an overflight of Klamath Falls, Oregon, Fort Dick, California, then over the Pacific Ocean and eventually Hamilton Field before returning to Pocatello with an arrival scheduled in the evening. The crew contacted ground around 0820LT to confirm they overflew Klamath Falls about one hour earlier and this was the unique radio contact. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft or its crew. As the aircraft did not return to its base, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It is believed that the aircraft may have crashed into the Pacific Ocean, along the Oregon or California coast, but no trace was ever found.
Crew:
2nd Lt Donald E. Benton,
2nd Lt John J. Boniface,
2nd Lt Harry F. Brennan,
Sgt Connie C. Hagmeier,
Sgt Neil L. Hall,
2nd Lt Joseph L. Hertle,
Sgt Norman J. Moore,
Sgt Edward R. Pettrony,
S/Sgt Robert H. Schmidt,
Sgt James B. Shelton.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Mynydd Perfedd: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LT184
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bishops Court - Bishops Court
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Bishops Court for a night training exercise. While flying over the north of Wales by night and marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the east slope of Mt Mynydd Perfedd and was destroyed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (7th AOS):
Sgt John George Shepherd, pilot,
Sgt Edwin John Keightley, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC John Chrystal, navigator,
LAC John Thomas Key, navigator.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by a navigational error as the aircraft was more than 30 km away from its initial track at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Pysht: 8 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
33999
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Whidbey Island - Whidbey Island
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a combined exercise with three other similar aircraft and was flying along the Strait of Juan de Fuca when he encountered mist. At low height, the aircraft hit a hill located in Pillar Point, east of Pysht and was partially destroyed on impact. Two crewmen who were seating in the rear were rescued while all eight other occupants were killed.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in West Eyreton: 1 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1375
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wigram - Wigram
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training mission. After departure from Wigram AFB, the pilot continued the flight at low altitude under the cloud base when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a prairie. A crewman was killed while both others were injured.
Crew (1st SFTS):
P/O F. Moran,
LAC A. Broad,
LAC Graham Browne. †

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II in West Melton: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1363
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Wigram - Wigram
MSN:
1982
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training mission. After departure from Wigram AFB, the pilot continued the flight at low altitude under the cloud base when the aircraft hit a hill and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew (1st SFTS):
P/O William Brant,
P/O Neville Bailey,
P/O Eric Munro.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Fort Benning AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
41-18566
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fort Benning - Fort Benning
MSN:
4691
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a routine training flight and left Fort Benning AFB in the early morning. While cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, a technical failure occurred on the left engine from which all propeller blades broke away. The engine suffered severe vibrations and detached few seconds later, causing the wing to be partially torn off. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all four occupants.
Crew:
Cpl Vincent James Faggione,
2nd Lt Orville Clarence Hern,
2nd Lt Melvin Lloyd Jenkinson,
Cpl Edward Hugh Jolly.
Probable cause:
Failure of the propeller blade on port engine.

Crash of a Martin PBM-3C Mariner into the Perquimans River: 6 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
01668
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
During a night training mission, the seaplane was landing on the Perquimans River when it nosed down and sank. All six crew members were killed.