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

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-232
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Batchelor - Batchelor
MSN:
414-6480
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a survey flight over the Wetar Strait, off the Indonesian province of Timor. En route, the twin engine aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a Mitsubishi Zero. Several bullets hit the right engine and fuel tanks. The aircraft became uncontrollable but the crew was able to leave the area and to return to Batchelor for a safe landing. Later, RAAF officers confirmed the death of a crew member while four other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/O A. A. Cambridge,
Sgt G. H. Cooper,
Sgt T. I. Gunn,
F/O J. M. Barnes,
Sgt G. J. Thame. †
Probable cause:
Hit by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1942 at 2355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7207
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Silloth - Silloth
MSN:
414-1603
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Silloth by night, the twin engine aircraft crashed in Abbeytown, 3 miles southeast of the airbase. All four crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to the night.
Crew (1st OTU):
Sgt J. Fisher, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Creighton, observer 2.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on approach caused by the inexperience of the pilot in flying on non-moon lit night.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson VI into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EW903
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-6787
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight off the Dutch coast when the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea in unknown circumstances. No trace was ever found.
Crew:
Sgt C. L. G. van Heugten,
Sgt L. A. Hoogteiling,
J. de Ligt,
J.A. den Ouden.

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

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AM680
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Silloth - Silloth
MSN:
414-2762
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left RAF Silloth at 0050LT on a night navigation exercise. At 0114LT, the crew informed ground by radio he would call later, this was the last recorded message. The wreckage was found at the end of the afternoon of November 11, on the western slope of Mt Beda Head, south of Martindale. All four crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to the night and the bad weather conditions.
Crew (1st OTU):
F/Sgt John Frederick Saunders, pilot,
F/O Derric Isaac Jones, navigator,
Sgt Stanley Alfred Veasey, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Harold Dickinson, wireless operator and air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EW912
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-6796
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight off the Dutch coast when he attacked a convoy cruising off shore. In unclear circumstances, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea off Terschelling, killing all four occupants.
Crew:
F/O Johannes Henricus J. van Loon,
F/O R. de Boer,
J. F. Mijsberg,
H. Jongman.

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

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1942 at 2125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-173
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Camden - Camden
MSN:
414-6426
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
705
Circumstances:
The crew left Camden Airport at 1645LT on a maritime patrol flight off the Australian coast to locate enemy submarines. On the return leg, while cruising in low visibility due to the night, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located some 3 miles west of Dapto. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (32nd Squadron):
Sgt Norman Baxter Clark, pilot,
F/Sgt Bernard James Hubbard, observer,
Sgt Joseph Hall Iredell, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Geoffrey Alfred Rich, wireless operator and air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1942 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-38
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bairnsdale - Bairnsdale
MSN:
414-1889
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
915
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a test flight at Bairnsdale Aerodrome following the 80 flying hours service. When pulling out of high speed shallow dive at 80 feet and some 200 yards down from the camera (the flight was filmed), the starboard wing failed at wing station # 144, causing part of the outer wing (3 feet from engine) and spar to separate from the aircraft. The aircraft then rolled inverted, causing a further failure of the tail plane, with the aircraft then crashing into the ground and exploding.
Crew (1st OTU):
S/L P. C. Tampion,
Cpl H. P. Smith,
LAC A. P. Thomas,
LAC N. L. Cheshire.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/
Photos: Gordon Birkett
Probable cause:
The starboard wing panel was sent to the CSIR for metallurgy inspection. The finding was that the mainplanes had been repaired per then accepted practices, but had failed in flight where numerous patched repairs were made during its overhaul at 5AD. The report stated that many Hudsons withdrawn from operational service and used in 1 OTU had been flown to the limits with resultant heavy loadings on their wings on operational service. All similar houred Hudsons were inspected some found to have similar problems, which would result in their replacement by GAF Beauforts in the near future in operational squadrons.

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

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-246
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gurney - Gurney
MSN:
414-6499
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Gurney Airfield at 0730LT on a reconnaissance mission east of Milne Bay. En route, it was lost, maybe in the region of Gurney - Alotau, east part of the Milne Bay province. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (6th Squadron):
F/O D. L. Gorringe,
F/O G. D. Hum,
Sgt C. L. McCready,
Sgt J. C. McAuliffe.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I into the Irish Sea: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7302
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-1698
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was performing a solo training flight over the Irish Sea when he lost control of the aircraft that crashed into the sea. Pilot did not survive.

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

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-170
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Batchelor - Batchelor
MSN:
414-6424
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left Batchelor Airport to attack the Penfoei Airport with two other similar aircraft. Upon arrival in Kupang, the twin engine aircraft disappeared without trace. SAR operations were suspended few days later.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/Sgt R. K. Dunning,
Sgt M. L. Kenihan,
Sgt L. H. Fraser,
Sgt D. W. Francis.