Crash of a Canadair DC-4M1 North Star in Sydney

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-TEL
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Montreal – Sydney – Prestwick – London
MSN:
103
YOM:
1947
Flight number:
TCA185
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Sydney, the aircraft was too low and hit an earth mound short of the runway threshold. On impact, an undercarriage punctured a fuel tank and a fire erupted. The aircraft landed safely but came to rest in flames and was damaged beyond repair. All 17 occupants were unhurt.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Lake Ontario

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1946
Operator:
Registration:
CF-BNG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Montreal – Toronto
MSN:
6472
YOM:
1939
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute from Montreal to Toronto, an engine caught fire. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing on an icy area of the Lake Ontario. The aircraft slid on its floats before coming to rest in flames. The pilot, sole on board, was able to evacuate the aircraft and was unhurt. The twin engine aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of a Lockheed C-40D Electra Junior in Mt Howe Brook: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1942 at 1135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-22249
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bolling Field – Montreal – Presque Isle – Houlton – Montreal – Bolling Field
MSN:
1273
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Bolling Field AFB (Washington DC) on May 23 bound for Houlton, Maine, with intermediate stops in Montreal and Presque Isle. The crew left Montreal at 0934LT on May 24 with a crew of two and four passengers, among them Lt Col Louis Gimbel. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the crew requested to climb to 7,000 feet and confirmed an ETA at 1134LT. In poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to locate the airport of Presque Isle and Houlton. Eventually, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area located in the Howe Brook mountain range, between Presque Isle and Houlton. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Clarence Wright, pilot,
S/Sgt Frederick Taylor, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Lt Col Louis Gimbel,
Cpt John Franciscus,
Cpt Gilbert Herbach,
2nd Lt Earl Wilkinson.
Sources & photos: http://www.mewreckchasers.com/C40.html
Probable cause:
The board of inquiry was unable to determine a cause, but listed weather and pilot inexperience under instrument conditions as factors.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Montreal

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
FK216
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
50
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off after an elevator seized. Damaged beyond repair. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V in Montreal: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1941 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AM895
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Debert - Debert
MSN:
414-2977
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
248
Captain / Total hours on type:
73.00
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight on behalf of the 31st Operational Training Unit and was on the final of a long distance exercise. While returning to Debert Airport, Nova Scotia, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and the pilot decided to divert to Montreal-Dorval Airport. On approach, he lost control of the airplane that crashed on a barn located in Cartierville, some 6 km north of the airfield. The airplane was destroyed by fire and all four occupants were killed.
Crew (31st OTU):
P/O John Fisher Boyd, pilot,
P/O Alan Ewart Gilbert Wainwright, navigator,
Sgt Abie Kirsch, wireless operator.
Passenger:
LAC A. J. Morris.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the pilot being forced to fly at a low altitude due to adverse weather conditions while attempting to approach the Dorval Airport, failed to see the barn and crashed onto it. Or that the pilot stalled the aircraft, commenced a spin and crashed into the barn.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A-CO Liberator I in Campbeltown: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1941 at 1010 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AM915
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Montreal - Campeltown
MSN:
6
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Montreal at 1726LT on August 31 on a flight to Campbeltown, Scotland, carrying six passengers and four crew members, among them civilians. While on approach to Campbeltown Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds. Descending from the east at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the four engine aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Arinarach located few km south of Campbeltown. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Kenneth Dardanelles Garden, pilot,
Geoffrey Llewellyn Panes, copilot,
Charles Alvan Spence, flight engineer,
Samuel Walter Sydenham, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Lt Col Louis Harris Wrangham,
Cpt Sherwood Picking,
Count Guy de Baillet-Latour,
Professor Robert Balmain Mowat,
Dr. Mark Benjamin,
Eric Taylor.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotlandam915.htm
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III at Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V9100
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Burbank - Wright-Patterson - Montreal
MSN:
414-3725
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was in charge to deliver the airplane to the Royal Air Force. For unknown reasons, the airplane crashed while taking off from Wright-Patterson AFB on a leg to Montreal. Both crew members were rescued.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Ashley: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V9103
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Burbank - Wright-Patterson - Montreal
MSN:
414-3728
YOM:
1941
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Burbank to deliver the airplane to the Royal Air Force. En route from Wright-Patterson AFB to Montreal, one of the engine failed. The airplane went out of control and crashed in Ashley, killing both crew members.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Fairchild 71 near Greenville

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-AAX
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saint John – Montreal
MSN:
609
YOM:
1929
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from St John to Montreal, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing in a field located six miles east from Greenville, Maine. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while both crew were able to walk away for few miles before finding help.
Crew:
'Babe' Woollett, pilot,
Al Parker, mechanic.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the engine failed in flight due to a technical problem with the fuel supply system.

Crash of a Travel Air 6000A in Long Lake: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1930 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-AJO
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Toronto – Montreal
MSN:
2005
YOM:
1929
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Toronto on a mail flight to Montreal. En route, he encountered engine problems and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed nose first in the frozen Long Lake, some 11 km south of Perth. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed. Seven sacks of mail were recovered.
Crew:
Harold Robinson,
Hervé Simoneau.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.