Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

771

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Torbay – Dartmouth

MSN:

414-2853

YOM:

1941

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The crew was completing a flight from Torbay to Darmouth. On approach, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 11 miles from its intended destination. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Eventually, the wreckage was spotted on November 6, 1944.
Crew (145th Squadron):
P/O Thomas Albert Kidd Watterson,
F/S R. C. Rolfe,
W/O Stick.
Passengers:
F/L J. T. Hook,
F/O W. H. Thompson,
Lt Snell.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson near Beddgelert : 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1943 at 0030 LT

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Registration:

AM832

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The aircraft left its base in the evening of February 3 on a night training exercise. One hour into the flight, following a navigational error, the aircraft went off course and was flying over the Snowdonia mountains. In poor visibility due to poor weather conditions, while cruising at an altitude of 2,300 feet, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Llechog located northeast of Beddgelert. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
Sgt R. J. Bennett, pilot,
Sgt J. C. Sharpley, navigator,
Sgt S. J. Meddings, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt A. W. Peach, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source: Alan Storr
http://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/pdf/RC09125_022--1-.pdf

Probable cause:

A Court of Inquiry into the accident reported that : “ In our opinion the cause of the accident was faulty navigation resulting in an aircraft flying to a position approx 60 miles south of its intended turning point at Kish Lt. W/T facilities for checking the position do not appear to have been initiated at all apart from obtaining the one QDM. The aircraft was airborne at 2201 hours and using still air conditions should have turned at Kish Lt at 2306 hours. In actual fact it will be seen that it did not make this turn until 2342 hours ie. 36 minutes late. He stayed on the leg from South Rock to Kish Lt for a period of one hour instead of 31 minutes. The aircraft after leaving its estimated position at Kish Lt lost height and apparently obeyed the QDM which was passed as a weak signal and should have been treated with caution. It crashed on a mountain side at approx 2300 feet causing the death of the crew and the complete destruction of the aircraft.” The Grp Capt.CO RAF Silloth stated “ The cause of the accident remains obscure, but the findings of faulty navigation recorded by the Court is not an unlikely reason for the accident.”

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

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1943 at 0345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

EW919

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton

MSN:

414-6803

YOM:

1942

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Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft left RAF Bircham Newton at 0045LT on a maritime patrol flight over the North Sea. The last contact was recorded at 0345LT while the aircraft was flying along the island of Terschelling. It was most probably shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the North Sea. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew (320th Squadron) was found.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IVA in Picton: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1943 at 1320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A16-152

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Camden - Camden

MSN:

414-6081

YOM:

1941

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While on a training sortie from Camden, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a prairie located in Picton, south of Camden. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (32nd Squadron):
F/Sgt S. K. Scott, pilot,
F/Sgt H. B. L. Johns, navigator,
Sgt B. C. J. Pearson, wireless operator,
Sgt G. D. Voyzey,
Sgt G. T. Lawson.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V in Omata: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1943 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

NZ2005

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Taranaki Regional Council

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Levin - Levin

MSN:

414-2675

YOM:

1941

Location:

New Plymouth

Country:

New Zealand

Region:

Oceania

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While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit a cliff located in Omata, near New Plymouth. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
F/Lt John Deans,
F/O James Philson,
Sgt John Power,
Sgt Hugh Steel.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Whenuapai: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

NZ2024

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Whenuapai - Whenuapai

MSN:

414-3837

YOM:

1941

Location:

Whenuapai AFB (Auckland)

Auckland Council

Country:

New Zealand

Region:

Oceania

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On final approach to Whenuapai AFB, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed into the Waitemata harbor. Both crew members were killed.
Crew (1st Squadron):
P/O Ralph Benfield,
P/O Cyril Comrie.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Beguildy

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

V9046

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

414-2570

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

Having failed to find a missing Short Sunderland, which had ditched in the sea west of the isle of Ushant off the north-west French coast, the pilot found that conditions were so poor on his return to base that it was impossible to land. In the end, he headed for the South Wales coast and over Swansea, ordered the crew to bail out once it was reached, all did so successfully. The aircraft continued for about 100 km until it ran out of fuel and crashed into Warren Hill, near Beguildy. The aircraft was destroyed while all four crew members were unhurt. Crew (279th Squadron).
Source: http://www.cpat.org.uk/resource/reports/cpat1249.pdf

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I in RAF Silloth: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

T9322

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Silloth - Silloth

MSN:

414-2357

YOM:

1941

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On final approach to RAF Silloth, while completing a training exercise, the twin engine aircraft crashed in flames short of runway. All four occupants were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
Sgt Cyril Ring,
Sgt Douglas Whitham Sanderson,
Sgt F. C. Zurbrigg,
W/O J. L. G. Belanger.

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

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AM863

Flight Phase:

Flight Type: