Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Townsville

Date & Time: Dec 1, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
43-30752
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
13903
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at Townsville-Garbutt Airfield for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Monto: 13 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-18648
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Port Moresby – Cairns – Townsville – Rockhampton – Brisbane
MSN:
6009
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Star Duster' left Port Moresby bound for Brisbane with intermediate stops in Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton. About 6,700 pounds of cargo were boarded in Garbutt Airfield near Townsville and some mail was loaded in Rockhampton. On the last leg to Brisbane, while cruising west of Monto, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a canyon. As the aircraft was declared missing, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. On June 22, 1948, a local found the wreckage in a steep wooded gully located between two high hills west of Monto. The right wing was found in 1961 some one km from the main wreckage and other debris such a door and stabilizer were found in 1991.
Crew (374th TCG):
1st Lt Victor N. Gibson, pilot,
2nd Lt Michael L. Reitman, copilot,
S/Sgt Everett L. Ahmann, flight engineer,
Cpl John F. Guigo, radio operator.
Passengers:
Tec Albert E. Peglow,
T/Sgt T.G. Cucciaro,
A/Sgt Hugh John McClean,
Sgt Philip Ernest Nicholls,
Gun Thomas Layton Vinecombe,
Sgt Jack Ernest Kerr,
Sgt Albert William Lawrence,
F/O Frank McLaurin Bartlett,
LAC Hector Richard Hore.
Source & photos: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld58.htm
Probable cause:
According to the US Command, the crew lost control of the aircraft after the right wing failed in flight due to heavy turbulence.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DL near Rewan: 19 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1943 at 1500 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-23420
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Batchelor – Gorrie – Daly Waters – Cloncurry – Brisbane
MSN:
9451
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Pushy Cat' left Batchelor Airfield in the Northern Territory at 0730LT bound for Archerfield Airport in Brisbane with intermediate stops in Gorrie, Daly Waters and Cloncurry. The aircraft was unable to land at Gorrie because the airfield was out of order, so the crew landed at Daly Waters where additional passengers were picked up. The aircraft arrived in Cloncurry at 1245LT where three more Australian soldiers boarded the aircraft. En route from Cloncurry to Brisbane, the aircraft went through a thunderstorm area, broke up in mid-air and crashed in the Carnarvon canyon located southwest of Rewan. The wreckage was found two days later and all 19 occupants were killed.
Crew (21st Transport Group:
2nd Lt Raymond E. Anglin, pilot,
2nd Lt Joseph W. Kennedy, copilot,
Sgt Frank J. Ropinski, flight engineer,
Sgt Harold L. Baumstein, radio operator.
Passengers:
Sgt Robert L. Adkins,
F/Lt Roy Edgar Abbot,
F/Lt Albert Ernest Watkin,
Sgt Ronald Keith Pitchford,
Cpl William Brady,
Cpl Francis Paul Morris,
LAC John Given Maxwell,
LAC Stanley Kirk Sims,
Lt Harley Horace Lockie,
Lt Ross Rowsell,
Sgt Victor Frederick Bishop,
Sgt Thomas William Davey,
Sgt William Joseph Parker,
Pvt William Howard Dorman,
Pvt Andrew Henry Mildren.
Probable cause:
Heavy turbulence in a low-pressure area caused excessive forces on the structure of the aircraft that broke in mid-air and crashed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-150-CO Liberator in Fenton: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-41242
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fenton - Fenton
MSN:
2319
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Fenton Airport, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew (380th BG):
Lt Wilfred Grenfell, pilot 9.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator in Fenton

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-40504
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1581
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing at Fenton, the aircraft christened 'Gus's Bus' suffered a gear failure and came to rest. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair but later salvaged.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failure on landing.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Batchelor

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-145
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
82-5433
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'The Flying Dutchman' from 18 Squadron of the Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEI-AF/ KNIL) was damaged after running off the runway in a downwind landing at Batchelor airfield in the Northern Territory. There were no casualties.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nt138.htm

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 in Limeburners Creek: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A34-37
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2026
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a survey flight to select sites for training exercises for paratroop battalion. While cruising at low altitude, the twin-engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into timber located 4 miles north of Limeburners Creek. Two crew members were rescued while three others were killed, among them the pilot.
Crew:
Sgt Hollingdale, pilot, †
Denzel Leslie Govett, †
Maj Smith, †
Sgt Moran,
LAC Barlow.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator in Fenton: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-40509
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fenton - Fenton
MSN:
1586
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful bombing mission over Langgoer, the crew was returning to his base at Fenton. On final approach by night, the aircraft christened 'Nothing Sacred' was too low and hit the slope of Mt Sugar Loaf located three miles short of runway. A photographer was the only survivor as all ten other occupants were killed.
Crew (380th BG):
Lt Hugh B. Parris,
Archibald S. Mills, Jr.,
Andrew B. Edwards Jr.,
Urban V. W. Darlington,
Leonard R. Greene,
Dossie J. Odom,
Ralph T. Newbold,
Albert Mirarchi,
William O. Miller,
LaVerne F. Parsons.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nt155.htm

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Pigeon House: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW799
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the southeast slope of Mt Pigeon House located 10 miles west of Ulladulla. All three crew members were killed.
Crew (73rd Squadron):
F/Sgt C. D. Robertson, pilot,
F/Sgt K. A. Richards,
F/Sgt B. V. Higgins.

Crash of a North American B-25C Mitchell in Batchelor

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-153
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Batchelor - Batchelor
MSN:
94-12747
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Overran on landing at Batchelor Airfield when the nose wheel and flaps refused to work after an evening bombing raid to Laha and Ambon. All crewmen were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nt139.htm