Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

247

Flight Type:

Site:

MSN:

2056

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

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

Crash of a Lockheed 18-40 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 – Leuchars

MSN:

2085

YOM:

1942

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En route from Stockholm-Bromma Airport to RAF Leuchars, while cruising at night off the Danish coast, the twin engine airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea about 50 km northwest of Skagen. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Erik Engnæs, pilot
F/O Per Aas, pilot,
Lt Oddvar Wenger,
Harald Pillgram Wilhelmsen, radio operator.

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 altitude, the airplane caught fire for unknown reasons (a fire of unknown origin). Four passengers and the copilot were able to bail out and parachuted to safety. Seven other people where killed after the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in a corn field.
The five who survived where:
Lt Kenneth Cotton, copilot,
Ens Ardis Durham,
Ac1 Roman Somtolski,
Ac3 Bernard La Prairie,
Ac3 Roland Holmes.

Probable cause:

In-flight fire of unknown origin.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-40-11 LodeStar in Townsville

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Operator:

Registration:

VH-CAJ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

MSN:

2128

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Region:

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During the takeoff roll, one of the landing gear collapsed. The twin engine airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

A landing gear collapsed during the takeoff roll.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar II in Heliopolis: 10 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:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

While descending to Heliopolis Airfield, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility. On final, the twin engine airplane 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 Lady Tedder and staff.
Crew:
P/O E. R. James,
P/O G. G. Cowlin,
Sgt N. L. Clarke,
Lac A. J. W. Hurdle,
Passengers:
Air Vice Marshal Wilfred Ashton McCloughry,
Lady Rosalinde Tedder,
S/L H. W. Cleland,
S/L R. G. Chester,
F/Lt J. R. Ritchies,
P/O W. A. Hawkins.

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 was 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

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Country:

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Circumstances:

After takeoff from Kisumu Airport, while climbing at 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 when control was lost, causing the airplane to crash 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 Daniel Hermanus Pienaar,
Col Frederick Theron,
Lt Col Eric Vickers Frykberg,
Lt Col Eric Loftus Mackenzie,
Maj J. W. A. Bell,
Maj F. Rawlins,
Cpt P. Bairnsfather-Cloete,
Sgt A. F. Weldon.

Probable cause:

The combined difficulties of endeavoring to raise the undercarriage and maintain height and speed with a fully loaded aircraft during a night take-off under unfavorable 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 1,800 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 18-40-11 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:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Dobodura Airport, the twin engine airplane was hit by enemy fire while the airfield was bombed. The aircraft crashed short of runway and was damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.

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:

Schedule:

Bilbeis – Lydda

MSN:

2139

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

After takeoff from Bilbeis, the captain decided to make a low pass over the Officer's Mess. While flying at a height of eight feet, the aircraft hit the tent with its left wing tip that broke away. The aircraft overturned and crashed in a huge explosion. All 13 occupants were killed while there were no casualties on the ground.
Crew:
W/Cdr John Patrick Stracey Smyth, pilot,
P/O John Cecil Oliver Trench, pilot,
P/O David Maxwell Walker, pilot,
P/O Corliss St Leger Hawkes, pilot,
F/Lt Ernest Francis Victor Copsey, pilot,
W/O Vern Selby Irwin, observer,
W/O Walter Henry Plant, observer,
F/Sgt Brian Joseph O'Connor, observer,
Sgt George Rollinson MacBryde, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur William Mills, wireless operator,
Cpl Reginald Benson,
Cpl Gerald Alexander Grant,
F/O Roy Anderson Harper.

Probable cause:

Poor judgement on part of the pilot while performing a very low pass over the Officer's mess.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-40-11 LodeStar in Brisbane

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

VH-CAE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site: