Zone
Hawaii

Crash of a Boeing 314 Clipper into the Pacific Ocean

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 314 Clipper
Operator:
Registration:
NC18601
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honolulu – San Francisco
MSN:
1988
YOM:
1939
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute, two engines lost power and the captain decided to make an emergency landing about 625 miles northeast of Honolulu. All 23 occupants were quickly rescued by the crew of a US Navy ship while the aircraft christened 'Honolulu Clipper' was deliberately sunk by gunfire.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express
Operator:
Registration:
41-24174
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Guam – Kwajalein – Honolulu
MSN:
969
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft left Guam Island on a flight to Honolulu with an intermediate stop in Kwajalein to refuel. At 1215LT, the crew reported his position at 11'15' N, 174'15' E, this was the last radio contact. The aircraft was lost into the ocean and no trace was ever found. There were on board senior staff that was flying to Honolulu to take part to a high command meeting about plans for the final assault of Japan.
Crew:
F/O James Roy Andersen,
M/Sgt Douglas O. Anderson,
T/Sgt Steve Geist,
T/Sgt Charles T. McInerney,
Pfc Arthur Ofner Jr.
1st Lt Jack M. West.
Passengers:
Lt Gen Millard Fillmore Harmon Jr.,
Col William Ball,
Maj Archibald Dean Anderson,
Maj Francis E. Savage.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner on Mt Tamalpais: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1944 at 2325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
45415
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Alameda - Honolulu
MSN:
45415
Location:
San Rafael
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
1500
Captain / Total hours on type:
1200.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Alameda NAS, while approaching the Golden Gate at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility. The captain decided to return to his departure point and started a turn to the right while penetrating a cloudy area. By night, the seaplane hit the slope of Mt Tamalpais located some 5 miles southwest of San Rafael. The wreckage was spotted a day later and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Joseph L. Resley,
Lt Thomas W. Oliver,
Ens Chapin B. Miller,
ACMM Harry L. Holland,
AMM2 Rodney Jeffers,
ARM2 Thomas J. Joyce,
ARM3 John R. Kelly,
AOM2 Wayne D. Paxson.
Photos: http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/pbm5bu.htm
Probable cause:
According to investigations, the sky was broken at the time of the accident, with scattered showers. Due to an insufficient visibility, it was concluded that weather conditions were unsuitable for such transpacific flight. The crew was unable to detect the mountain because it was shrouded by clouds and the visibility was low due to night.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster off Oahu Island: 17 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72252
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
10357
YOM:
1944
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was performing a flight from an airport located on Oahu Island and California. While cruising some 50 miles east of Oahu Island, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. All 17 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Martin M.130 China Clipper near Ukiah: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1943 at 0725 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin M.130
Operator:
Registration:
NC14715
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Honolulu – San Francisco
MSN:
557
YOM:
1935
Flight number:
V1104
Location:
Ukiah
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Captain / Total flying hours:
4941
Copilot / Total flying hours:
694
Aircraft flight hours:
14628
Circumstances:
At the end of the night, while overflying the Pacific ocean off the Californian coast, the radio navigator contacted San Francisco ATC to inform about an estimated time of arrival at 0710LT, nearly three hours ahead the schedule. While approaching San Francisco from the north, by night and in poor weather conditions, at an altitude of 2,500 feet, the seaplane christened 'Philippine Clipper' hit the slope of a mountain located 7 miles southwest of Ukiah. Extensive emergency resources were dispatched to the scene where no survivors were found among the 19 occupants.
Crew:
Robert M. Elzcy, pilot,
G. F. Acbel, pilot,
Orven K. Judd, copilot,
L. A. Mackota, flight engineer,
J. J. Egan, flight engineer,
John Maynard, navigator,
C. P. Thompson, radio operator,
G. W. Angus, radio operator,
John Hill, steward.
Probable cause:
Failure of the captain to determine his position accurately before descending to a dangerously low altitude under extremely poor weather conditions during the hours of darkness.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc off Diamond Head

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
40-126
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Honolulu
Hawaii
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an engine failure and crashed into the sea some 10 km south of Diamond Head, Honolulu. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-1 Catalina off Kaena Point: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1938 at 0400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
0142
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honolulu - Honolulu
MSN:
41
YOM:
1937
Location:
Kaena Point (Lanai Island)
Hawaii
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While completing a night exercice, the float plane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Kaena Point, Lanai Island. Two crew members were rescued and five others were killed. Weather conditions were marginal at the time of the accident.
Those killed were:
Lt (jg) Leo O. Crane, pilot,
Av Cadet Wilbur Howard Lear,
RM 2c Vernon August Luciana,
ACMM Garland Harold O'Neal,
AOM 1c Bluitt Iven Windham.

Crash of a Consolidated P2Y-3 off Honolulu: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated P2Y
Operator:
Registration:
9560
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honolulu - Honolulu
Location:
Honolulu
Hawaii
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing an exercice when, in the early morning, the float plane crashed into the sea off Honolulu. All six crew members were killed. Weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.6A Envoy into the Pacific Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1934 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.6 Envoy
Operator:
Charles T. P. Ulm
Registration:
VH-UXY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Vancouver – San Francisco – Oakland – Honolulu – Melbourne
MSN:
31
YOM:
1935
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was attempting a new record over the Pacific Ocean on a flight from Vancouver to Melbourne with intermediate stops in San Francisco, Oakland and Honolulu. En route to Hawaii, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Due to low visibility, he was unable to localize the islands and sent several radio messages advising he was lost and running out of fuel. The aircraft named 'Stella Australis' eventually crashed into the ocean around 1000LT. Despite an extensive and immediate search by aircraft and 23 naval ships, no trace of the Envoy nor the crew was ever found. Captain Ulm had chosen not to carry a life raft on board, preferring to save weight and predicting the aircraft would float for two days if it were forced to land on water.
Crew:
Charles T. P. Ulm, pilot,
G. M. Littlejohn, copilot,
J. S. Skilling, radio navigator.
Probable cause:
It is believed an unexpected tailwind and bad weather caused the aircraft to fly past the islands in the dark (early morning). The wind was about 35 knots from the south-southeast and the aircraft may also have been pushed north of the islands.

Crash of a Keystone LB-5A off Koko Head

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Keystone LB-5
Operator:
Registration:
30-338
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honolulu - Honolulu
Location:
Honolulu
Hawaii
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances some 5 miles off Koko Head, near Honolulu. All five crew members survived while the aircraft sank and was lost.
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