Atlantic Ocean | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was engaged in a SAR mission over the Atlantic ocean to localize the crew of a RAF Boeing B-17 registered FA704 that crashed into the sea after being shot down by a German submarine about 200 km northwest of the Feroe Islands. For unknown reasons, the seaplane landed hard and came to rest upside down. All nine occupants were able to evacuate and took refuge in two dinghies. Unfortunately, the crew of USS Symbol arrived on scene six days later only, on June 17. On site, only one survivor could be evacuated as all eight other occupants were found dead.

Probable cause:

As the cause of the accident is unknown, it appears that survivors suffered a storm during several days after the accident and the only survivor was seriously injured.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress into the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1943 at 1110 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

FA704

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

3612

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Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a mission to attack the German submarine U-417 cruising in the north Atlantic Ocean. During the attack, the aircraft was hit by bullets and the crew decided to ditch some 200 km northwest of the Feroe Islands. While the aircraft sank and was lost, all eight crew members were rescued.
Crew (206th Squadron):
W/C R. B. Thomson 7.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German submarine.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express into the Atlantic Ocean: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1943 at 2300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

Operator:

Registration:

41-11708

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Accra – Georgetown – Natal

MSN:

204

YOM:

1941

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While overflying the Atlantic Ocean by night, on the leg from Georgetown (Ascension Island) to Natal, while on a flight from Accra to Natal, the aircraft disappeared into the Ocean around 2300LT. SAR operations were conducted for several days but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Two life vests were discovered on a Brazilian beach few days later.

Probable cause:

US military authorities reported that at the time of the accident, whose causes remain unknown, weather conditions prevailing above the center of the Atlantic Ocean were marginal due to the presence of thick clouds and heavy rain falls. It is also reported that lifeboats were found on seas nearly 100 km east of Recife on February 4, 1943, with dead bodies on board. This means that some passengers escaped the accident and managed to take refuge in dinghies. Analyses carried out on the bodies determined that the last survivor died of fatigue, hunger and thirst on February 3, 1943, two weeks after the accident. Without concrete elements, no part of the aircraft having been found, investigators were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Iceland: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

04402

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Keflavik - Keflavik

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Circumstances:

The crew left Keflavik-Meeks Field at night on an anti-submarine mission off Iceland. Some 18 minutes after take off, while flying by night and in snowy conditions, the seaplane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all eight crew members.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

7245

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

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Circumstances:

The pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft for unknown reason some 210 km off Natal. While the aircraft sunk and was lost, all eight crew members were quickly rescued.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express into the Atlantic Ocean: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

Operator:

Registration:

41-11707

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Accra – Georgetown – Natal – Belém

MSN:

203

Location:

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Circumstances:

On the leg from Georgetown to Natal, on a flight from Accra to Belém, the four engine aircraft crashed into the Atlantic ocean, some 410 km west of the Ascension Island. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The last radio contact was recorded at 0337LT.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator into the Atlantic Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-11650

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Gander – Prestwick

MSN:

146

YOM:

1941

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Disappeared over the North Atlantic Ocean while performing a delivery flight from the US to England via Gander and Prestwick. All five occupants were presumed dead as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I into the Atlantic Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

L5805

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bathurst - Freetown

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The aircraft left Bathurst at 2255LT on June 10 on a maritime patrol flight to Freetown, Sierra Leone. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the seaplane was ever found.
Crew (95th Squadron):
P/O J. Pybus,
F/O J. M. Henderson,
F/O R. W. Lawrence,
P/O D. J. Whalley,
Sgt V. Cromer,
Sgt J. E. Burley,
Sgt R. G. Greenman,
LAC J. M. McNeill,
AC1 H. K. McCombie.

Crash of a Martin PBM-1 Mariner into the Atlantic Ocean: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin PBM Mariner

Operator:

Registration:

1250

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

1250

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was involved in a SAR mission following the sinking of the USS Westmoreland sunk by the German U-Boat U-566. While flying at low altitude, the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances some 100 km off Hamilton. No trace of the aircraft nor the 12 crew members was ever found. The aircraft was believed to have been caught in a downdraft at approximately 37° N and 66° W.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress into the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

41-2479

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

2290

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Parnamirim AFB near Natal on a transatlantic flight to Africa. It suffered a fuel exhaustion and was ditched in the ocean. After several days passed in a dinghy, all crew members were rescued and transferred to Africa.
Crew:
Clyde G. Gillespie.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.