Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

A16-209

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

MSN:

414-6485

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising over Timor, the twin engine aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. The captain ordered his crew to bail out. When he bailed out and was later rescued, he realized that all four other crew remained on board and were killed when the aircraft crashed.
Crew:
F/O Sidney G. Wadey, pilot,
P/O Stanley W. Faull, †
Sgt Francis M. O'Reilly, †
Sgt Gould W. Herbert, †
Sgt William R. Edeson. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson off Silloth: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1942 at 2010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AE646

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Silloth - Silloth

MSN:

414-2999

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was involved in a combined training exercise with another RAF Lockheed L-414 Hudson registered T9273 and carrying four crew members as well. In flight, both twin engine aircraft collided and crashed into the Solway Firth, off RAF Silloth. All eight crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
Sgt K. J. Chandler,
Sgt L. Hargrave,
Sgt J. Brown,
Sgt Morse.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson off Silloth: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1942 at 2010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T9273

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Silloth - Silloth

MSN:

414-2308

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was involved in a combined training exercise with another RAF Lockheed L-414 Hudson registered AE646 and carrying four crew members as well. In flight, both twin engine aircraft collided and crashed into the Solway Firth, off RAF Silloth. All eight crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
P/O I. G. T. Roberts,
P/O F. Ratcliffe,
Sgt S. M. Wilson,
Sgt R. M. Jack.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson II in Bairnsdale: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1942 at 1115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

A16-89

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

414-193

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training mission to Bairnsdale. While completing the approach circuit, at a height of 2,000 feet to join the glide path, the twin engine aircraft pitch down up to 35°, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located 7 miles southeast of the airport. Both crew members were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
P/O A. G. Gray,
AC1 D. M. O'Loughlin.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Saumlaki: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A16-234

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

414-6502

YOM:

1942

Location:

Saumlaki (Pulau Jamdena)

Maluku

Country:

Indonesia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a maritime patrol flight over the Arafura Sea when the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea off Saumlaki, on Pulau Jamdena Island. All four crew were killed.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/O Robert C. Muecke,
F/O Frank S. Moss,
P/O Lloyd M. Miners,
Sgt James E. Laman.

Probable cause:

An unconfirmed report says the accident was the result of an inflight collision with a Japanese seaplane.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III off Fua'amotu: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1942 at 1720 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

NZ2028

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Nausori - Fua'amotu

MSN:

414-3851

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft left Nausori Airport at 0919LT on a special flight to Fua'amotu, Tonga. On final approach, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and lost control of the aircraft that crashed into the sea some 10 miles off shore. Despite extensive search, the authorities did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the six occupants.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/O Donald Anderson,
F/O Clive Ibbotson,
Sgt Roland Wybourne,
LAC Arthur Clayton.
Passengers:
Major General Owen Herbert Mead,
Lt John Leslie.

Probable cause:

It is probable that pilots suffered a loss of situational awareness during an approach completed in low visibility due to bad weather conditions.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Popogo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1942 at 1334 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A16-201

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Port Moresby - Port Moresby

MSN:

414-6408

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft took off from 7-Mile Aerodrome located near Port Moresby, on a solo mission to shadow an enemy cruiser force in the Gulf of Huon. Two hours after take off, while returning to his base, the crew was attacked by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and tried to escape. Ten minutes later, the aircraft was shot down and crashed in a dense wooded area located near the village of Popogo, in the region of Buna. The wreckage was sited on February 28, 1943. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (32nd Squadron):
P/O Warren Frank Cowan,
P/O David Reid Taylor,
Sgt Russell Bradburn Polack,
Sgt Lauri Edwin Sheard.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson in Llanfair: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N7253

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sydenham - Hendon

MSN:

414-1649

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was performing a flight from RAF Sydenham (Belfast City) to RAF Hendon (Middlesex) with ten VIP passengers and a crew of three on board. While cruising over Wales in poor weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a pasture located in Llanfair, near Ruthin. All thirteen occupants were killed. It appears at the time of the accident, there was stormy weather with turbulence and it seems the aircraft went out of control after being striked by lightning.

Probable cause:

Aircraft went out of control while flying in thunderstorm activity and may have been struck by lightning.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Broken Head: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A16-198

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site: