Consolidated B-24 Liberator | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Following unknown technical problems, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field located near the Ellington AFB. While there were no casualties, the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

Unknown technical problems.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-25-CO Liberator in Libya: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 1400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-24301

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Soluch - Soluch

MSN:

1096

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Following a bombing mission over Naples, Italy, the aircraft failed to return to its base in Soluch, Libya. During the back trip, the crew radioed he lost his automatic direction finder and requested ground vector. Due to poor visibility, the crew overflew Soluch Airport and continued to the south. Two hours later, due to fuel exhaustion, the crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The four-engine aircraft continued for 26 km to the south before crashing in the Calanshio Sand Sea, about 710 km southeast of Soluch. USAF authorities thought that the aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean sea and the SAR operations were unable to find any trace of the aircraft or the crew. On November 9, 1958, a British oil exploration team located the crash site for the first time. Five bodies were found in May 1960 dozen km away from the wreckage.

Probable cause:

According to the Graves Registration Service, the aircraft flew on a 150 degree course toward Benina Airfield (Soluch Airport). The craft radioed for a directional reading from the HF/DF station at Benina and received a reading of 330 degrees from Benina. The actions of the pilot in flying 440 miles into the desert, however, indicate the navigator probably took a reciprocal reading off the back of the radio directional loop antenna from a position beyond and south of Benina but on course. The pilot flew into the desert, thinking he was still over the Mediterranean and on his way to Benina.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Whittlesey

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

FL950

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

158

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Following an uneventful mission, the crew was returning to his base in the UK. En route, a fuel exhaustion forced all 10 crew members to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. While the aircraft crashed in a field and was destroyed, all 10 occupants were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Gavutu Island

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

08136

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Gavutu – Luganville

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Following a combat mission over the Gavutu Island, the aircraft was returning to its base in Luganville with nine crew members on board. Shortly after take off, the pilot initiated a sharp turn when both engines stopped. He attempted an emergency landing but the seaplane hit the water surface 1,2 km off shore and came to rest. While all nine crew members could evacuate and were rescued, the aircraft sunk by 60 feet deep and was lost.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the engine failed during a sharp turn because water in the tank sucked into the carburetors.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D Liberator in Assam: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

42-40069

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kunming – Chabua

MSN:

3160

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft christened 'Pregnant Swan' most probably crashed in a mountainous region of Assam while on a flight from Kunming to Chabua. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew:
Maj Robert W. Fensler, pilot,
Gerald E. Owens, copilot,
S/Sgt Erle H. Thayer, flight engineer,
Phillip G. Huffman,
Louis F. Verhaegen,
S/Sgt Alvin Jack Lenox 4.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Darwin

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-11869

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

365

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Darwin following a maritime patrol flight. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator into the Mediterranean Sea: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-11798

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Benghazi - Benghazi

MSN:

294

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew left Benghazi Airport in the day to attack enemy ships in the harbor of Naples. En route, the four-engine aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean Sea in unknown circumstances. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator III in Reykjavik

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

FK232

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

145

YOM:

1941

Location:

Reykjavik

Capital Region (Höfuðborgarsvæði)

Country:

Iceland

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After touchdown at Reykjavik Airport, the four-engine aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overrun and came to rest. There were no casualties.