Region
Asia

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-75-CO Liberator near Wakro: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-100184
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Yankai - Chabua
MSN:
3333
Location:
Wakro
Arunachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a ferry flight from Yankai, China, to Chabua AFB. Some 30 minutes prior to the ETA, the four engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a mountainous terrain located in the region of Wakro. All 9 occupants were killed. The three passengers were on their way home.
Crew (308th Bomb Group):
1/Lt Robert W. King, pilot,
Lt John B. Byron, copilot,
1/Lt Eugene L. Bernstein, navigator,
T/Sgt Robert R. Riley, flight engineer and air gunner,
T/Sgt John J. Reagan, radio operator and air gunner,
S/Sgt Garland J. Reed, air gunner.
Passengers:
Cpt Thomas H. Clare,
S/Sgt Raymond J. Bridge,
Cpl Merle L. Pickup.
Photos available on
http://www.miarecoveries.org/gal13_B-24J_42-100184.html

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL near Tezpur: 10 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-100614
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Calcutta – Dinjan
MSN:
19077
YOM:
1943
Location:
Tezpur
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances north of Tezpur. Ten occupants were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando in Sookerating

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-3611
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26744
YOM:
1943
Location:
Sookerating
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off for unknown reason. No casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-25-CU Commando in Sookerating

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-24710
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26631
YOM:
1943
Location:
Sookerating
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while there was no casualty. The exact circumstance of the occurrence remains unknown.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando in Imphal: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-3630
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chittagong - Imphal
MSN:
26763
YOM:
1943
Location:
Imphal
Manipur
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a supply mission from Chittagong to Imphal when descending to Imphal Airport, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Out of control, the C-46 dove into the ground and crashed in a field, killing all four occupants.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Barrackpore: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-60953
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26828
Location:
Barrackpore
West Bengal
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off for unknown reason. At least one crew member was killed in the accident.

Crash of a North American B-25H-1 Mitchell near Nungba: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1944
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
43-4242
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Imphal - Mirzapur
MSN:
98-21243
Location:
Nungba
Manipur
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Some half an hour after its departure from Imphal, while flying southwest of Nungba in poor weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field. All ten occupants were killed, among them the pilot Brian F. Hodges and the British Army Major General Orde Charles Wingate, commander of the Chindits.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-25-CU Commando near Itanagar: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-24717
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Chabua AFB - Ondal - Tezpur
MSN:
26638
Location:
Itanagar
Arunachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Chabua AFB (Dibrugargh) to Tezpur with an intermediate stop in Ondal. En route, while cruising over the south part of Arunachal Pradesh in poor weather conditions, the aircraft crashed in a mountainous region located 11 km north of Itanagar. SAR operation were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Eventually, the wreckage was found in 2007.
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