Crash of a Consolidated RY-3 Privateer into the Atlantic Ocean: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
JT982
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Washington DC – Montreal – Gander – Keflavik – Prestwick – Northolt
MSN:
90030
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
En route, while flying over the North Atlantic, the aircraft disappeared in unknown circumstances. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after two weeks as no trace of the aircraft nor the 15 occupants was found. All passengers were US, Canadian and British Officers who were flying back to the UK after taking part to a military conference in Washington DC.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-25-FO Liberator near Gairloch: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
42-95095
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Prestwick – Keflavik
MSN:
1860
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
The aircraft was returning to the US from Prestwick, with an intermediate stop in Keflavik. While overflying Ross and Cromarty, crew encountered unknown technical problems and the aircraft lost height until it struck the slope of Mt Slioch (981 meters) located near Gairloch. All 15 occupants were killed.
Crew:
T/Sgt Hillburn L. Cheek,
S/Sgt Raymond E. Davis,
S/Sgt Emil Einarsen,
S/Sgt John B. Ellis Jr.,
S/Sgt Robert J. Francis,
S/Sgt Eldon J. Gilles,
S/Sgt John H. Hallisey,
S/Sgt James D. Harvey,
S/Sgt Alexander W. Hastings,
1st Lt Jack B. Ketchum,
S/Sgt Albert L. Natkin,
S/Sgt Herman Riefen,
2nd Lt Richard J. Robak,
1st Lt Jack H. Spencer,
T/Sgt James C. Stammer.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso A in Morhiban Lake

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
11076
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moncton – Keflavik
MSN:
CV-401
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An engine failure forced the captain to attempt an emergency landing on the icy Morhiban Lake. On touchdown, the seaplane went out of control and crashed in flames. All four crew members were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-1-DC Skymaster in Prestwick: 25 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1944 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-72171
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Boston – Gander – Keflavik – Prestwick
MSN:
10276
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
The pilot started the descent by night and poor weather conditions. On final approach, the four engine aircraft was too low and hit the roof of a house before crashing onto houses, short of runway. All 20 occupants were killed and five people on the ground as well. Due to low visibility, the crew did not realize his altitude was insufficient.
On board the aircraft:
G. Golden,
B. S. Oglesby,
D. McGrew,
L. Bigotto,
A. Gorski,
A. Scott,
Eugene R. Venabe,
Norman A. Loeb,
Madison C. Schepps,
John E. Fissel Jr.,
Vivanna Cronin,
Thomas W. Kirk,
Braxton G. Flemming,
Horace J. Fortenberry,
Ernest E. Jesch,
William C. Farley,
Glenn K. Erickson,
Burt D. Hogsett,
John B. Krusi,
Harry Berman,
Civilians killed on the ground:
Thomas George Maitland,
Robert A. Handyside,
William K. Snowden,
Thomas Kinnear,
Irene Haswell.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-5-DO Skymaster into the Atlantic Ocean: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1944 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-107470
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London – Keflavik – Stephenville – New York
MSN:
7489
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The last radio contact with the crew was about three hours into the flight after departure from Keflavik. SAR operations were conducted southeast of Greenland but they were eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. All six crew members were employees of the Transcontinental & Western Air but were conducting this flight under the Air Transport Command. All passengers were US Army personnel flying back home.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar on Mt Beinn Nuis: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-56014
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Keflavik - Prestwick
MSN:
18-2487
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Beinn Nuis located on Arann Island, Ayrshire, while performing a flight from Keflavik to Prestwick. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew (17th Aerial Transport Group):
Pfc Bernard T. Boone,
T/Sgt John M. Fantaskey,
Maj Louis C. Goldsmith,
S/Sgt John G. Johnson,
1st Lt John R. MacKenzie,
2nd Lt Richard H. Riddle,
Pvt William Silberg.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D Liberator near Keflavik: 14 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1943 at 1530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-23728
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Bovingdon - Keflavik
MSN:
523
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Bovingdon on a transatlantic flight to the US with an intermediate stop in Keflavik. While descending to the airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with rain falls, low ceiling and a near zero visibility. At an altitude of 1,100 feet and a speed of 139 knots, the aircraft hit a rocky peak with its right wing. It crashed on a mountain slope located southeast of Keflavik and was totally destroyed, except the tail. Fourteen occupants were killed and only the tail gunner survived with minor injuries. At the time of the accident, the captain was reducing his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground.
Crew (93rd Squadron):
Cpt Robert H. Shannon, pilot,
Lt Gen Frank Maxwell Andrews, copilot,
S/Sgt George A. Eisel, tail gunner,
Cpt James E. Gott, navigator,
T/Sgt Kenneth A. Jeffers, radio operator,
S/Sgt Lloyd C. Weir, crew chief,
S/Sgt Paul H. McQueen, air gunner.
Passengers:
Adna W. Leonard,
Br Gen Charles A. Barth,
Col Marlow Krum,
Col Frank L. Miller,
Maj Theodore C. Totman,
Lt Col Fred A. Chapman,
Maj Robert H. Humphrey,
Cpt Joseph T. Johnson.

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

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
04402
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Keflavik - Keflavik
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
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 Vought-Sikorsky VS-44 in the Botwood Bay: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1942 at 1905 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC41880
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York – Gander – Keflavik – Shannon – London
MSN:
4401
YOM:
18
Flight number:
AEA071
Country:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Captain / Total flying hours:
6000
Captain / Total hours on type:
400.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3350
Copilot / Total hours on type:
345
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Botwood Bay, some 50 km northwest of Gander, while climbing, the seaplane lost height and crashed into the sea few hundred yards off shore. Eleven occupants, among them five crew members, were killed. 26 other occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The copilot was in command at the time of the accident. While climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea due to a false trailing edge flaps position to 35°. According to investigations, it appears that crew did not complete the preflight briefing and the copilot was not sufficiently familiarized with this type of aircraft. The security system in charge to position the trailing edge flaps in a safety angle for the climbing procedure has been disconnected during a previous flight for unknown reasons. The crew did not realize the trailing edge flaps were deployed at 35° and the alarm coupled to this system did not activate because it was on OFF position.
Final Report:

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland in Braemore: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 1342 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4026
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Oban – Invergordon – Keflavik
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
Few minutes after take off from RAF Invergordon, while cruising in poor visibility due to bad weather conditions, the seaplane hit the Eagle's Rock hill located near Breamore, about 55 km northwest of Inverness. A passenger was seriously injured while all 14 other occupants were killed, among them Prince George, Duke of Kent. With three officers of his staff, he was en route to Iceland on an official visit in Reykjavik.
Crew (228th Squadron):
F/Lt Frank McKenzie Goyen, pilot,
W/Cdr Thomas L. Moseley, copilot,
F/O Sydney Wood Smith, copilot,
P/O George Richard Saunders, navigator,
F/Sgt William Royston Jones, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Charles Norman Lewis, airframe fitter,
F/Sgt Edward James Hewerdine, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Edward F. Blacklock, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Arthur Rowland Catt, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Leonard Sweett, flight engineer and fitter,
Sgt Andrew S. W. Jack, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
Air Commodore HRH Prince George, The Duke of Kent,
Lt John Crowther, private secretary,
P/O Michael Strutt,
LAC John Walter Holes.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was equipped with a new gyro-compass few days prior to the accident and the crew was not familiar with it. According to the Board of investigations, it appears that the accident occurred as a result of navigational error. The crew failed to make sufficient allowance for a strong on-shore wind and allowed the aircraft to drift over high ground before it gained sufficient altitude to clear the hilly terrain. According to the Hansard Report of October 7th 1942, blame was apportioned to the captain of the aircraft, "Who changed flight plan for reasons unknown and descended through cloud without making sure he was over water, and crashed." Poor visibility due to bad weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.