Region
Asia

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator off Car Nicobar Island: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1943 at 1109 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
FL926
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Aerial photography
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sigiriya - Sigiriya
MSN:
123
YOM:
1941
Location:
Car Nicobar
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Sigiriya at 0554LT to carry out a photographic reconnaissance mission off Car Nicobar Island. The aircraft was due over the target at 1100LT and at 1109LT, its crew transmitted its call sign with one 30 second dash. D/F bearings of these transmissions indicate that the aircraft was over the Car Nicobar Island at that time. Since then there has been no further news. It is believed that the Japanese now have a small number of fighters which they operate from the Car Nicobar landing ground, with an adjacent R.D.F. Station whose range is believed to be in the neighborhood of 100 miles. It is presumed that the aircraft was intercepted by enemy fighters and shot down as another aircraft of this Squadron was destroyed by enemy action in the same area on 23rd September 1943.
Crew (160th Squadron):
F/O W. A. Wallace, pilot,
P/O H. F. Wilson, copilot,
P/O C. W. Hamann, navigator,
Sgt H. R. Crest, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt K. B. Gillespie, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt C. R. MacGregor,
Sgt R. Morgan, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt T. Leckey, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source: http://www.rquirk.com/160oper/540oct43.html

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-15-CU Command in Besokupe Tea Estate: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-12389
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
26516
YOM:
1943
Location:
India
All India
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a place called Besokupe Tea Estate, India. At least one crew member was killed, 1st Lt Theodore L. McLendon.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL into the Brahmaputra River: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-19464
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
6107
YOM:
1942
Location:
Assam State
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Brahmaputra River, killing at least one crew member, William A. Pouncey.

Crash of a Douglas C-53D-DO Skytrooper in Calcutta: 20 killed

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1943 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-6471
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4923
YOM:
1942
Location:
Calcutta
West Bengal
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
After rotation from Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport, the aircraft encountered problem to gain height when it hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 1,200 meters past the runway end. All twenty occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were as follow: ceiling at 2,000 feet, horizontal visibility estimated at 11 km and light wind.
Crew:
1st Lt Dale Johnson,
2nd Lt Jasper A. Lagattuta,
1st Lt Kermit R. Peasley.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando in Dibrugarh

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-24646
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26567
YOM:
1943
Location:
Dibrugarh-Mohanbari
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off. No casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-15-CU Commando in Dibrugarh

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-12421
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26548
YOM:
1943
Location:
Dibrugarh-Mohanbari
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. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Dibrugarh-Mohanbari AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18543
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4668
YOM:
1942
Location:
Dibrugarh-Mohanbari
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off, killing all three crew members.
Crew (6th TPS):
Pfc Charles W. Locke Sr.,
F/Sgt Marion Leland Meaders,
1st Lt Harry E. Reese Jr.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-1-CU Commando in the Chirdwin Valley: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-5204
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dibrugarh – Yangkai
MSN:
26406
YOM:
1943
Location:
Chirdwin Valley
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Chirdwin Valley. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (6th Squadron):
T/Sgt Kullervo T. Aaltonen,
2nd Lt Raymond V. Bouche,
F/O Kenneth E. Grill,
T/Sgt Richard Stapleford,4
1st Lt Jack R. Tate,
2nd Lt Max E. Wilbur.

Crash of a Stinson Model A near Lonavala: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Stinson Model A
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AQW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Colombo – Poona – Bombay – Karachi
MSN:
9113
YOM:
1935
Location:
Lonavala
Maharashtra
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from Poona to Bombay in marginal weather conditions, the three-engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located north of Lonavala. All six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in the Assam mountains: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18518
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dibrugarh – Kunming
MSN:
4610
YOM:
1942
Location:
Assam State
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Dibrugarh-Mohanbari Airport bound for Kunming. En route, while cruising in the region of Sookerating at 1418LT, the crew contacted ground to obtain a weather briefing for Kunming Airport. This was the last radio transmission. The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere between Sookerating and Kunming, most probably in the mountains of the Assam State. No trace was ever found.
Crew (1st TPG):
2nd Lt Howard G. Bushey,
1st Lt Robert D. Coker,
S/Sgt Walter A. Hynes.
Subscribe to India