Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Ohakea AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2045
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ohakea - Ohakea
MSN:
414-6443
Location:
Ohakea AFB (Bulls)
Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons Regional Council)
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the aircraft stalled, hit the ground, went out of control and eventually crashed on a construction vehicle. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both pilots were slightly injured while the vehicle's driver was killed.
Probable cause:
It appears that the crew did not prepare the flight properly and did not proceed to any deice prior to takeoff while the aircraft (wings, tail and stabilizers) were contaminated by ice. This cause the aircraft to stall just after liftoff.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IVA off Ocean Grange: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 4, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-113
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
East Sale - East Sale
MSN:
414-6042
YOM:
1941
Location:
Ocean Grange
Victoria
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Left East Sale Airport at 1913LT on a night training mission via Paysnesville and Patts River. While cruising along the shore, the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea off Ocean Grange. A wheel and an undercarriage were spotted on a beach but no trace of the aircraft nor the five crew members was found.
Crew (1st APU):
W/O F. J. Maughan, pilot,
F/O A. S. Cullen, navigator,
W/O H. L. Hammersley, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt R. C. Smith, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt F. W. Walker, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Piva: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1945 at 0924 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2012
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Honiara - Piva
MSN:
414-3825
YOM:
1941
Location:
Piva
Autonomous Region of Bougainville
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach, the twin engine aircraft stalled, crashed onto the runway and exploded. Two crew members were seriously injured while three others were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Robert Lamason, †
F/O Wilfred Hall, †
LAC John Medhurst, †
W/O P. Doody,
LAC R. McAnich.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Manhay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
T9445
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
414-2480
YOM:
1941
Location:
Manhay
Luxembourg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While overflying Belgium, the twin engine aircraft was mistakenly shot down by the pilot of a Northrop P-61 Black Widow and crashed in a field located in Manhay. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (161st Squadron):
F/Lt R. Ferris,
W/O R. Hutton,
F/Lt A. Penhale,
F/O J. Traill.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V off Maidens: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1945 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
AM562
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Turnberry - Turnberry
MSN:
414-2644
YOM:
1941
Location:
Turnberry AFB
Ayrshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from RAF Turnberry, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea two miles off Maidens, north of the airbase. All five crew members were killed. They were engaged in a coastal patrol mission at that time.
Crew (5th OTU):
W/O John Robertson, pilot,
Sgt Eric Raynor Kelsall, navigator,
F/Sgt Norman Walter Huggins, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt James Vincent Jenkins, wireless operator and air gunner,
Peter Bernard Joseph, observer.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson II in Richmond: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1944 at 1635 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-68
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Richmond - Richmond
MSN:
1921
Location:
Richmond AFB
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
During the day, technical anomalies were noted on the engines and the captain decided to perform a test flight. The twin engine aircraft left Richmond Airfield at 1620LT. Ten minutes into the flight, the captain informed ground about technical problems and elected to return to the airport. On final approach, while at a height of 200-300 feet, the left engine failed. The aircraft banked left, hit power cables and crashed in a huge explosion some 400 yards short of runway threshold. All eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Ronald William Shore, pilot,
F/O John James Broderick, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC Francis Fletcher Smith,
ACW Nancy Margaret Ralph,
Cpl Robert Henry McIlroy, instrument maker,
LAC Joseph Michael Gleeson,
Cpl John McLennon Allen,
LAC Noel Austin Chamberlain.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine.

Crash of Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Brisy: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1944 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
T9463
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Tempsford - Tempsford
Location:
Brisy
Luxembourg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a secret mission over Arnstadt, Germany, to drop an American Agent on behalf of the OSS. While returning to England after a successful mission and while flying over Belgium, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field located in Brisy. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (161st Squadron):
S/L Reginald Eric Wilkinson, pilot,
F/O J. Weddell, navigator,
F/L Frederick John Joseph Champion, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/L G. H. Ash, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson in Kunming: 20 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Kunming
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
Crashed while approaching Kunming Airport. All 20 occupants were killed. No further details on this mishap.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2066
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Nausori - Whenuapai
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Nausori Airport at 0600LT with five other similar aircraft bound for Whenuapai, in New Zealand. En route, the weather conditions worsened and while in a thick cloud layer, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were conducted for almost a week but no trace of the aircraft nor the seven crew members was ever found.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/O Norman Beard,
W/O Arthur Dunstan,
Sgt Thomas Carey,
Sgt Robert Gillespie,
P/O Ivan Johnson,
F/Sgt Thomas Ward,
F/O John Waugh.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2044
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Nausori - Whenuapai
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Nausori Airport at 0600LT with five other similar aircraft bound for Whenuapai, in New Zealand. En route, the weather conditions worsened and while in a thick cloud layer, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were conducted for almost a week but no trace of the aircraft nor the seven crew members was ever found.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/Lt Wilbur Lange,
Sgt George Bryant,
P/O Kenneth Ross,
F/O Sydney Aldridge,
P/O Kenneth Marshall,
F/O Jack Olson,
F/O David Stewart.
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