Region
Oceania

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell off Point Jahleel

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
N5-133
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
87-7878
Location:
Melville Island
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a reconnaissance mission over the Kaimana Bay. While returning to its base, the twin engine aircraft was attacked by the pilots of two Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. An oil line on the right engine was damaged so the right engine was cut. The captain was able to leave the combat area and decided to divert to Darwin. While approaching the Australian coast, due to fuel shortage, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft off Point Jahleel, on Melville Island. While the aircraft sunk and was lost, all five crew members were rescued.
Crew (18th Squadron):
2nd Lt R. L. N. Swane, pilot,
1st Lt A. J. de Wolf, copilot,
2nd Lt C. E. Begeman, bombardier,
Sgt Rouvroye, radio navigator,
Sgt William Charles Donald Moore, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by two Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Brisbane: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1943 at 0512 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
A65-2
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Brisbane – Sydney
MSN:
6149
YOM:
1942
Location:
Brisbane
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Captain / Total flying hours:
121
Circumstances:
One minute after take off from Brisbane-Archerfield Airport by night, while in initial climb, the aircraft entered a patch of fog, banked to the left up to vertical position and crashed in a wooded area located 1 mile south of the airport. All 23 occupants were killed. The aircraft had also the civil registration VH-CTB.
Crew:
F/O Alexander Ken Arnold, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Hammond, copilot,
LAC Samuel Ivan Wiles, fitter,
Sgt Lyle Carter Morgan, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Sgt John Atherton,
LAC Thomas William Beckley,
P/O David Andrew Blackley,
LAC John Edward Chinner,
Sgt Robert William Tylden Chisholm,
LAC Kevin Francis Flanagan,
LAC Charles Paton Eric Fly,
Cpl Violet May Gunning,
Maj E. H. Halliwell, US Army,
Cpl Ruth Ada Hills,
Acw Florence May Jackson,
Sgt Max Irvenia Thomas Jarvis,
LAC Terrence Joseph Kelly,
LAC Kenneth Owen Paton,
1st Lt F. M. Skinner, US Army,
Lt Irwin Leo Smith,
P/O Alfred Tatlock,
LAC Geoffrey Frederick Waters,
Cpl Thomas Keith McDowell Watt.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au & Grahame Higgs
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident there was much speculation about the loss of an engine, although the investigation team could find no evidence of any unserviceability with any of the aircraft systems. Ultimately the investigation in 1943 cited error of judgement and poor technique on the part of the pilot as the cause. Hopefully today we would not be so damning. Final verdicts of pilot error are not acceptable anymore. Pilots do not set out to crash airplanes so what happened to cause this crew to err. In this case it could be a case of Spatial Disorientation, or as Bob Livingstone has suggested, caged Gyros, both of which can lead rapidly to loss of control. In his defense, F/O Arnold had only 121 hours on type of which a mere 14 hours were as captain.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-232A in Melbourne

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
VH-ACB
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Melbourne – Sydney – Brisbane
MSN:
2030
YOM:
1938
Location:
Melbourne
Victoria
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Melbourne-Essendon Airport, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the captain decided to make an emergency landing and completed a gear-up landing 7 km north of the airport. The aircraft skidded for several yards before coming to rest and was damaged beyond repair. All 15 occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was christened 'Warana'.
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by carburetor problems.

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

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11869
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
365
YOM:
1941
Location:
Darwin
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Darwin following a maritime patrol flight. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon in Adelaide: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1943
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.84 Dragon
Operator:
Registration:
A34-48
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2037
YOM:
1943
Location:
Adelaide-Parafield
South Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Adelaide-Parafield Airport, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed, killing both crew members.
Crew (34th Squadron):
P/O Milton Hubert Conkey,
LAC Bernard James Hovey.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder near Woodstock: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
40-1480
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1480
YOM:
1940
Location:
Woodstock
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While returning to Australia following a bombing mission, the captain was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion. The twin engine aircraft crash landed near Woodstock and was damaged beyond repair. Seven crew members were unhurt while the eight occupant died from head injuries when he fell out of the tail section.
Crew (22nd BG):
Cpt Harry O. Patteson, pilot,
Pvt Emil H. Erickson. †
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Green Island: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-25
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
273
YOM:
1942
Location:
Cairns
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The Catalina was returning to its base following an anti-submarine escort for a convoy in the Coral Sea bound for Milne Bay. While cruising over the region of Green Island, off Cairns, the seaplane crashed into the sea in unknown circumstances. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
W/C John William Daniell, pilot,
Sgt Norman Notley Moore, pilot,
S/L Eric Hamilton Barkley, copilot,
F/O Lewis Melvin Dunham, observer,
F/O Stuart Patrick King,
Sgt Keith Arnold Watson, flight engineer,
Cpl John Corbett Stain, flight engineer,
Sgt Allen Richard Eather, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Alexander Eric John Elsbury, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Daniel O’Grady, rigger,
Cpl Douglas Griffen Shaw Russell, armourer.
Probable cause:
The assumption that the accident was caused by a fuel exhaustion was not ruled out.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Hughes: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1943 at 1948 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-212
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hughes - Hughes
MSN:
414-6481
YOM:
1942
Location:
Hughes
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
During the final approach completed in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft lost height and crashed short of runway threshold. Four crew members were seriously injured while two others were killed. Few hours later, one of the survivor died from his injuries. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with low visibility and turbulence caused by a storm.
Crew (13th Squadron):
Sgt K. D. Brown,
Sgt W. R. Robertson, †
LAC K. E. G. Edwards,
LAC P. R. Lazarus,
LAC C. C. Jennings, †
LAC R. G. Bradley. †

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Townsville

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
VH-CAJ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
18-2128
YOM:
1941
Location:
Townsville
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the take off run, a landing gear failed. The twin engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. While nobody was hurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Landing gear failure.

Crash of a North American B-25C Mitchell in MacDonald: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
N5-132
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
82-5554
Location:
MacDonald
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from MacDonald Airfield, while climbing, the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion some 3-4 miles from the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (18th Squadron):
Schalk,
Hiele,
Janssen,
Kessels,
Maarschalkerweerd,
Abeleven,
MacPherson.
Source & photo: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nt83.htm
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