Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

247

Flight Type:

Site:

MSN:

2056

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

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Crash in unknown circumstances at Wadi Seidna AFB, north of Khartoum. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar off Skagen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 0138 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGEJ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Stockholm – London

MSN:

2085

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

While cruising by night off the Danish coast, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea about 50 km northwest of Skagen. All seven occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed R5O-5 LodeStar in Flemington: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

12462

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2313

YOM:

1942

Location:

Flemington

New Jersey

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While in cruising flight, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reason. Five passengers were able to bail out before the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field, killing seven other occupants.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Townsville

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VH-CAJ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

MSN:

18-2128

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

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During the take off run, a landing gear failed. The twin engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. While nobody was hurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Landing gear failure.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar II in Heliopolis: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1943 at 1826 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

EW986

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2154

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Heliopolis, the twin engine aircraft lost altitude and crashed 3 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 11 occupants were killed, among them Air Vice-Marshal Wilfred Ashton McClaughry, his wife and staff.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. However, the assumption that the aircraft was caught by downdraft (micro-burst) during the final descent is not ruled out.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-08-01 LodeStar off Kisumu: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

248

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Cairo – Kisumu – Johannesburg

MSN:

2057

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

After take off from Kisumu Airport, while climbing by night, the crew encountered technical problems to raise the undercarriage because an electrical failure occurred on the undercarriage safety lock circuit. The captain decided to return to Kisumu but the twin engine aircraft crashed into the gulf of Kavirondo, 13 km off Kisumu. All 12 occupants were killed.
Crew (61st Squadron):
Cpt J. D. Mail,
Lt W. B. Lloyd,
Sgt C. V. Flusk,
Cpl LaFayette.
Passengers:
Maj Gen D. H. Pienaar ,
Col F. Theron,
Lt/Col E. V. Frykberg,
Lt/Col E. L. Mackenzie,
Maj J. W. A. Bell,
Maj F. Rawlins,
Cpt P. Bairnsfather-Cloete,
Sgt A. F. Weldon.
Source: ASN

Probable cause:

The combined difficulties of endeavouring to raise the undercarriage and maintain height and speed with a fully loaded aircraft during a night take-off under unfavourable flying conditions gave rise to an error of judgement in which the pilot allowed the aircraft to fly into the water. A contributory cause was the fatigue of the 'elderly pilot' who had flown 1800 miles in the previous 24 hours and had only 6 hours sleep and was trying to reach South Africa at the special request of General Pienaar as soon as possible. No evidence of sabotage was found.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Dobodura

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

VH-CAH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

MSN:

2125

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Dobodura Airport, the twin engine aircraft was hit by enemy fire while the airfield was bombed. The aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. While there was no casualties, the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar II in Bilbeis: 13 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1942 at 1530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

EW984

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: