Crash of a Boeing B-17G-110-BO Fortress into the Pacific Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
43-39465
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tokyo – Honolulu – Los Angeles – Washington DC
MSN:
10443
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching the Hawaiian coast of Oahu Island on a flight from Tokyo, the crew encountered a fuel exhaustion and was forced to ditch the aircraft about 60 miles west of Hickam Field where it should land. Ten people were rescued while three others were killed, among them George Acheson, personal advisor of General McArthur and President of the Allied Council in Japan.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 6, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
34032
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kodiak – Unalaska
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Kodiak to Unalaska, carrying a crew of five and fifteen members of a Navy football team. While cruising some 250 km from the destination, the crew informed ground he encountered strong head winds. Shortly later, the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All 20 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54G-1-DO Skymaster into the Sargasso Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-0519
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hamilton - Morrison
MSN:
35972
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Hamilton, Bermuda, bound for Morrison AFB located in Palm Beach, Florida. While cruising about 294 miles northeast of the Florida coast, the crew encountered severe weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and turbulence. The aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea. Some debris were found but no trace of the six occupants who were considered as deceased.
Probable cause:
After considering all available facts and existing weather conditions, it is the opinion of the Accident Investigating Board at Morrison Field, Florida, that the aircraft encountered violent turbulence and the pilot lost control of the aircraft. It is possible that structural failure was a factor prior to contact with the ocean. No evidence of fire exists. There was no evidence of a ditching attempt and the debris found indicates that the crew compartment was torn apart on contact with the ocean. The last plotted position of the aircraft and the corresponding position of the frontal zone substantiates the weather assumption. Contributing factors to this accident were possible navigational error allowing aircraft to drift north of course to frontal zone and pilot error in that no apparent effort was made to circumnavigate the frontal weather.

Crash of a Douglas C-47DL into the Pacific Ocean: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1947
Registration:
TI-107
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Guayaquil – San José
MSN:
4444
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While on a cargo flight from Guayaquil to San José, the airplane failed to arrive at destination. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It is possible that the aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the Costa Rican coast.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax IV into the Atlantic Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1947 at 0919 LT
Operator:
Registration:
ST807
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belfast - Belfast
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Some 80 minutes after its departure from Belfast-Aldergrove Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Atlantic Ocean, about 150 km northwest of the Irish coast, at approximately 55°00'00.0"N 12°00'00.0"W. All nine crewmen were lost in the crash. It is believed that the crew encountered technical problems with some instruments.
Crew (202nd Squadron):
S/L D. L. Bisgood, pilot,
J. S. Anderson, copilot,
F/Lt D. J. McMahon,
P. B. Higgins, navigator,
R. Miles, flight engineer,
F/Sgt A. A. Thompson,
F. Orwin,
S. Baldwin, flight engineer,
D. James.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III into the Atlantic Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1947 at 1150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SW290
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ballykelly - Ballykelly
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While on a training exercise and flying at a height of 500 feet, the captain decided to reduce his altitude when the aircraft hit the water surface and crashed into the sea about 60 miles northeast of Malin Head, Ireland. The pilot and an officer were rescued while seven other occupants were killed.

Crash of Martin PBM-5 Mariner into the Pacific Ocean: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45435
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Diego - San Diego
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Enroute to San Diego, the seaplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean, off Baja California, Mexico. Two crew members were rescued while ten others were killed.
Those killed were:
Lt Jg Emerson W. Miles,
Ap1 Fabian J. Kestell,
Amm2 Eugene A. Widener,
Arm1 Winford C. Williams,
Aom3 Quell V. Buchanan,
AerM1 Merril J. Murphy,
Aom1 John G. Steuer,
Amm1 George R. A. Tracy,
Arm1 Robert G. Peshek.
Passenger:
G. C. Leavitt.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK into the Caribbean Sea: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1946
Operator:
Registration:
43-49141
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Clarendon - San Juan
MSN:
14957/26402
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed into the Caribbean Sea while on a flight from Clarendon, Jamaica, to San Juan. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EG192
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Leuchars - Leuchars
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Leuchars on a training mission over the North Sea, on behalf of the General Reconnaissance School. While flying about 144 km east of Dundee, radar contact was lost with the aircraft that crashed into the sea. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 into the Malacca Strait: 21 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1946 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MW125
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Northolt – Cairo – Calcutta – Penang – Singapore
MSN:
MW125
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
While flying over the Malacca Strait in poor weather conditions, while on a flight from Northolt to Singapore, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in to the sea about 100 miles west of Pulau Penang. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted and the crew of a RAF Short Sunderland spotted some debris few days later. Unfortunately, few pieces only were found and no trace of the 21 occupants that were considered as deceased. At the time of the accident, weather consisted of thunderstorm and turbulence.
Crew (511th Squadron):
F/Lt Donald Harold Courtenay, pilot,
F/O David John Johns, copilot,
F/O Wilfred Walter Armstrong, navigator,
A1C Francis Norman Beckett,
LAC Tom Bone,
W/O Raymond John Nicholas Bowerman,
A1C Ronald Charles Clarke,
LAC Donald Cowell,
LAC Maldwyn Wallace Davies,
A1C Francis Flood,
A2C George Albert Griffiths,
LAC Roy Leslie Mowser Stilwell,
F/Sgt Ivan Kendrick,
Cpl Ronald Kirk,
LAC James Frederick Latham,
F/Sgt John Johnston Leitch,
F/Lt Clifford James McPherson,
Sgt Timothy Christopher Murphy,
LAC Granville Reginald Pritchard,
W/O Leonard Sawkins,
A2C William Norman Westbury.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.