Region
North America

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-75-CF Liberator near Flora Lake: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1944 at 0330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
KH108
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Abbotsford - Abbotsford
MSN:
1264
YOM:
1944
Location:
Flora Lake (Vancouver Island)
British Columbia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training mission and departed Abbotsford Airport on the evening of November 9. While low visibility, pilots were unable to locate the mountainous terrain. The four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near Flora Lake, Vancouver Island, and was destroyed by impact forces. All 10 crew members were killed. SAR operations were dispatched on a huge area but no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was eventually spotted one year later. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to marginal weather conditions and by night.
Crew (5th OTU):
F/O John Victor Kingdon, 1st pilot,
F/O Morris Morganstein, 2nd pilot,
F/O Frederick Edward Brown,
F/O James Frederick Cooke,
Sgt Frederick Douglas Hafford,
Sgt Sidney Helper,
Sgt Glyn Ivor Jones,
Sgt Thomas MacDonald,
Sgt Ronald May,
Sgt David Peggie Westwater.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 Dakota IV in Goose Bay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KJ986
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Montreal – Goose Bay
MSN:
14980/26425
YOM:
1944
Location:
Goose Bay
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a delivery flight from the US to England. On the leg from Montreal-Dorval to Goose Bay, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances on approach to Goose Bay Airport. The wreckage was found 12 miles from the airfield. All four crew members have been killed.
Crew:
F/O Trevor L. Morris,
F/O Archie Whitelaw,
F/O Thomas V. Woods,
R/O D. M. McLaughlin.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 near Sydney: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
39093
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
19064
YOM:
1943
Location:
Sydney
Nova Scotia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the region of Sydney. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a North American B-25J-15/17-NC Mitchell III in Gander: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1944 at 0012 LT
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
KJ584
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
108-32225
YOM:
1942
Location:
Gander
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from runway 02 at Gander Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a dense wooded area. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Vladimir John Kabin, pilot,
Sgt David Flood, navigator,
Sgt Thomas Tweed Sheldrick, radio operator.
Source & photo:
http://www.planecrashgirl.ca/2017/03/21/b25-kj584/

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Wallacetown: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
6276
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fingal - Fingal
Location:
Wallacetown
Ontario
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
During flight, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field in Wallacetown. Two crewmen were killed while two others were injured. Both crew killed were respectively Sgt E. D. Hawkins and Sgt R. D. Sharp.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-50-DL Flying Fortress in Gander: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1944 at 2248 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-6344
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Gander – Lajes
MSN:
22567
YOM:
1941
Location:
Gander
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft made a normal takeoff from runway 23 (235 degrees) en route to the Azores, rose in a steep climb to 200 to 400 feet in a light rain, when the aircraft’s left wing began to drop as if the aircraft were going to make a diving turn. Witnesses described the dip in the wing as resembling a stall. The aircraft descended at a 30 to 40 degree angle, and disappeared from view behind the trees. It crashed left wing first and exploded immediately in a 200 to 300 foot high flare. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Saul J. Oppenheimer, pilot,
2nd Lt Chester C. Wampler, copilot,
F/O Malcolm H. Hild, navigator,
2nd Lt David L. Harrog, bombardier,
Sgt Warren G. Faulconer,
Cpl Gordon T. Lawson Jr.,
Cpl William Ruggeri,
Cpl Keith M. Shelley,
Cpl Maurice E. Leathers,
Cpl Forrest G. Taylor.
Source & photo:
http://www.planecrashgirl.ca/2017/01/25/usaaf-b-17-44-6344/
Probable cause:
The subsequent investigation could not find the cause of the accident, but believed that it was due to an engine stall. The aircraft had had some maintenance done on its flight indicator, but the investigation found that this was not a factor in the crash.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Southwold: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1944 at 1455 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
6711
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Fingal - Fingal
Location:
Fingal AFB
Ontario
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training exercise around the RCAF Fingal. While cruising north of the airbase, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Southwold. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O K. M. Joyce, pilot,
P/O I. H. Rees, instructor,
LAC D. F. McLay, student,
LAC S. C. Turner, air bomber pupil.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Claresholm: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1944 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
FP930
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Claresholm - Claresholm
Location:
Claresholm
Alberta
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the vicinity of the Claresholm Airfield, Alberta. All three crew members were killed.
Crew (15th SFTS):
F/Sgt J. C. McKittrick, pilot and instructor,
LAC L. H. B. Bennett, student pilot,
LAC A. R. Baker, student pilot.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I Near Jarvis: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1944 at 0110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
6086
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Jarvis - Jarvis
Location:
Jarvis AFB
Ontario
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying around the RCAF Jarvis, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field just after the crew dropped a flare at low height. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Crew (1st Bombing & Gunnery School):
F/S J. B. Watts 2.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in Goose Bay: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
2171
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Dartmouth – Goose Bay – Chatham
Location:
Goose Bay
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training mission from Dartmouth to Chatham (Miramichi Airport) with an intermediate stop in Goose Bay. Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. All eleven occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O William A. Harris,
P/O John C. Tanner.
Passengers:
Lac Harold A. Stephenson,
Lac Henry H. Bell,
Lac William G. Leard,
A/C Lionel C. Saint Louis,
Cpl Louis C. Foris,
Cpl Clarence N. Cole,
Sgt Myles E. Duquette,
Won Melville S. Wood,
P/O Donald W. Hume.
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