Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder into the Tyrrhenian Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FK371
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
7408
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea while performing a maritime patrol flight. No trace of the aircraft nor the six crew members was ever found.
Crew:
F/Sgt T. C. Bullock,
W/O F. L. Trovillo,
P/O J. L. Mouatt,
Sgt C. Warburton,
F/O D. G. Bentham,
F/Sgt J. S. Patman.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder in Bône: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FK364
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bône - Bône
MSN:
7433
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Bône Airfield (now Annaba), en engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed. The copilot was killed while five other crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/O Slade,
F/O MacDonald,
F/Sgt Lindschau,
Sgt Mutch,
Sgt Lovelace,
F/Sgt Beddell. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure after rotation.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder in McDill AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-7469
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McDill - McDill
MSN:
7469
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from McDill AFB, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control just after rotation caused by an engine failure.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder in McDill AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-7461
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McDill - McDill
MSN:
7461
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training flight and left McDill AFB in the day. In flight, while cruising at an altitude of 2,500 feet, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion, killing all four crew members.

Crash of a Martin B-26C-5-MO Marauder on Acklins Island

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1943 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-34720
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Morrison AFB - Borinquen
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
465
Captain / Total hours on type:
200.00
Circumstances:
The crew departed Morrison AFB (Pam Beach) at 0830LT on a ferry flight to Borinquen, Porto Rico. En route, the crew attempted to transfer fuel from the auxiliary tanks but the process failed because the fuel transfer mechanism would not function properly. As there was insufficient fuel in the main tank, the crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed on Acklins Island, bursting into flames. All four crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Jesse F. Hunt,
Arnold Stern,
Billy R. Williams,
Ralph E. Stevens.

Thanks to Eric Wiberg and Michael Stowe for information provided.
Probable cause:
The cause of this accident was the failure of the fuel transfer mechanism to function properly for reasons unknown to the committee.
Final Report:

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder off McDill AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-7452
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McDill - McDill
MSN:
7452
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While cruising in the vicinity of McDill AFB, on a training sortie, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Tampa Bay. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Allen M. Okell, pilot,
Reginald R. Reynolds,
Lt Roy Albert Skow,
Francis P. Martin 1.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 into the Bay of Algiers: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FK154
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Teleghma – Blida
MSN:
7423
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While descending below clouds and flying over the Bay of Algiers, the twin engine aircraft was mistakenly shot down by friendly fire and crashed into the sea off Algiers. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L P. Goode,
F/L M. T. G. Beacham,
F/Sgt H. D. Clapson,
Sgt V. Brown,
Sgt C. V. Walkinshaw,
Sgt L. Hunt,
F/O H. M. Stewart,
F/Sgt Tatlow,
LAS L. V. Bullen.
Probable cause:
Shot down by friendly fire.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Del Rio: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1559
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Del Rio - Del Rio
MSN:
1559
YOM:
1940
Location:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crew was performing a training flight in the vicinity of Del Rio-Laughlin Field. After touchdown, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and collided with another aircraft. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/Sgt Robert Harris Steed,
1st Lt Walter F. Griffin,
2nd Lt Benjamin L. Littlejohn,
S/Sgt John R. McGuire.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder near Woodstock: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1480
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1480
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While returning to Australia following a bombing mission, the captain was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion. The twin engine aircraft crash landed near Woodstock and was damaged beyond repair. Seven crew members were unhurt while the eight occupant died from head injuries when he fell out of the tail section.
Crew (22nd BG):
Cpt Harry O. Patteson, pilot,
Pvt Emil H. Erickson. †
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder in Fayid AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FK117
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fayid - Fayid
MSN:
7364
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was practicing single-engine circuits at Fayid AFB. On final approach, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that stalled and crashed short of runway. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O H. Fletcher, pilot,
LAC J. I. Lewis, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.