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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
41-24174
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Guam – Kwajalein – Honolulu
MSN:
969
Country:
Region:
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 Boeing B-29-50-BW Superfortress into the Pacific Ocean: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-24842
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
North Field - North Field
MSN:
4504
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Forty-five minutes after its departure from North Field AFB (Tinian Island), while cruising, the engine number four caught fire. The aircraft dove into the sea and exploded as it struck the water surface. Only few debris were found on site and all 12 crew members were killed.
Crew (39th Squadron):
Sgt Robert J. Beller, radio operator,
Cpl Harold M. Brown, air gunner,
1st Lt Bernard A. Casaurang, pilot,
Cpl Ralph R. Cima, radar officer,
Cpl Flavio M. Duca, air gunner,
Cpl Charles N. Gentry,
2nd Lt Edward A. Josephson, pilot,
F/O Louis T. Kestner Jr., navigator,
Cpl Joseph J. Kuebler, air gunner,
Cpl Richard V. Leland,
T/Sgt Fred B. Robbins, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Richard J. Scarisbrick, bombardier.
Probable cause:
Engine # 4 caught fire in flight.

Crash of a Martin PBM-3D Mariner into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45382
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
45382
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean. En route, the crew lost his orientation and was unable to located his real position. Due to fuel shortage, the captain was forced to ditch the aircraft some 380 km northeast of Hilo, Hawaii. The crew of the USS Cape Lopez arrived on scene four days later and was able to evacuate three injured crew members while all seven other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL into the Pacific Ocean: 16 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-100461
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Biak – Pitu
MSN:
18924
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Biak-Mokmer Airport at 0505LT bound for Pitu Airfield, on Morotai Island (North Malukku). As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the 16 occupants was ever found.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DL into the Pacific Ocean: 21 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
43-16343
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tacloban – Angaur
MSN:
20809
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
Disappeared en route from Tacloban to Angaur Airfield, in Palau. No trace of the aircraft nor the 21 occupants was ever found.

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:
Operator:
Registration:
42-72252
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
10357
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
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 Lockheed PV-1 Ventura into the Pacific Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4624
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gisborne – Luganville
MSN:
6271
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route from Gisborne to Luganville, the aircraft suffered an engine failure and crashed into the sea, killing all five crew members.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Martin PBM-3D Mariner into the Pacific Ocean: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45226
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
45226
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route, an engine suffered technical problems and the captain elected to ditch the aircraft. In unknown circumstances, the seaplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some 1,500 km east of the Marshall Islands. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2066
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nausori - Whenuapai
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Nausori Airport at 0600LT with five other similar aircraft bound for Whenuapai, in New Zealand. En route, the weather conditions worsened and while in a thick cloud layer, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were conducted for almost a week but no trace of the aircraft nor the seven crew members was ever found.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/O Norman Beard,
W/O Arthur Dunstan,
Sgt Thomas Carey,
Sgt Robert Gillespie,
P/O Ivan Johnson,
F/Sgt Thomas Ward,
F/O John Waugh.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2044
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nausori - Whenuapai
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Nausori Airport at 0600LT with five other similar aircraft bound for Whenuapai, in New Zealand. En route, the weather conditions worsened and while in a thick cloud layer, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were conducted for almost a week but no trace of the aircraft nor the seven crew members was ever found.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/Lt Wilbur Lange,
Sgt George Bryant,
P/O Kenneth Ross,
F/O Sydney Aldridge,
P/O Kenneth Marshall,
F/O Jack Olson,
F/O David Stewart.