Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland V into the Atlantic Ocean: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP140
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Enroute, an engine caught fire, forcing the pilot to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. The aircraft hit the water surface, overturned, exploded and sank some 100 miles northwest of Feroe Islands. All 12 crew members were killed.
Crew (330th Squadron):
Lt Olav Benum, pilot,
Cpt Fenrik Harald Morten Wiese Aarstad, pilot,
Sgt Olav Thorsen, copilot,
Sgt Vingsjt Magne Hovda, navigator,
Sgt Kaare Egil Lea, flight engineer,
Sgt Bjarne Hjalmar Christensen, flight engineer,
Sgt Jorgen Ryhl Bineau, radio operator,
Sgt Ole Edvardt Johansen, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Adolf Herman Ffrantzen, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Kaare Arctander Johansen, air gunner,
Sgt Hans Mikkelsen, air gunner,
Sgt Bror Wilfred SJödgren, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Martin PBM Mariner Flying Boat into the Pacific Ocean: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
59117
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
59117
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to the attack of a Japanese ship while approaching the target, the seaplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the Pacific Ocean, killing all 12 crew members.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fire.

Crash of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator II into the Atlantic Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1945 at 0730 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AL504
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Northolt – Lajes – Ottawa
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft left RAF Northolt at 2300LT on March 26 bound for Ottawa, Canada, with an intermediate stop in Lajes, Azores Islands. At 0716LT, the crew informed his base with an ETA in Lajes at 0810LT. This was the last radio contact. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Lajes, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft was found.
Crew (45th Squadron):
W/Cdr William Hugh Biddell, pilot,
F/Lt Aubrey Norman Brodie, copilot,
F/Lt David Buchanan, navigator,
F/Lt Kenneth George Shea, navigator,
Frederick Walter Williams, radio operator,
W/O Douglas James Spence, flight engineer,
Victor Ian Claud James Bannister, steward.
Passengers:
Cdr Rupert Arnold Brabner,
Sir Peter Roy Maxwell Drummond,
Sir John Bradley Abraham,
Henry Albert Jones,
Edward Twentyman,
Eric Robinson,
S/Ldr Elisha Gaddis Plum.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL into the Coral Sea: 24 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
43-16011
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cooktown – Finschafen
MSN:
20477
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
Crashed enroute into the Coral Sea, while on a flight from Cooktown to Finschafen, Morobe Province. SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the aircraft was ever found.
Crew:
Cpt Eldred E. Kellogg,
Cpt James E. Dickey,
S/Sgt William P. Caruthers,
S/Sgt Morris Cohen.
Passengers:
Cpt Robert F. Mekker,
1st Lt Richard F. Stanley,
S/Sgt William I. Shaw,
2nd Lt Harvey J. McHenry,
1st Lt Victor Paschild,
2nd Lt Gregor N. Bronson,
S/Sgt Luigi F. Bettina,
S/Sgt Fred O. Miller,
Sgt Frank A. Lovalle,
Sgt James F. Tyres,
Sgt Glenn E. Sinclair,
Sgt Albert L. Descochers,
Sgt Harry C. Gould,
Sgt Michael Mikula,
Sgt Emerson A. Tanner,
Sgt Selby L. Yates,
2nd Lt Robert A. Daube,
2nd Lt Thomas D. Galey,
2nd Lt Kenneth W. Sober,
2nd Lt Robert G. Powell.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-6 into the Pacific Ocean: 17 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1945 at 0800 LT
Operator:
Registration:
50770
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pitu – Tacloban
MSN:
26325/14880
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Captain / Total flying hours:
2728
Captain / Total hours on type:
434.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Pitu Airport on Morotai Island in the early morning bound for Tacloban, Philippines. It failed to arrive and SAR operations were conducted. Unfortunately, no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found. At the time of the accident, the weather conditions were considered as marginal.
Crew:
Lt Donald Leslie McInteer, pilot,
Cpt Richard A. Kirkland, copilot,
James Thompson Jr.,
Barton J. Rassmussen,
Edmund Z. Szczygiel.
Passengers:
Lt Donald V. Johnson,
Lt Louis C. Skinner,
Lt G. M. L. Costner,
Alsie A. Porterfield,
Alpha Scott,
Charles W. Kallal,
Alfred A. France,
Tony D. Drakos,
Ben Williams,
Bennice Hathaway,
Sgt A. B. Bosely,
Pvt H. L. Straub.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV into the Coral Sea

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KN343
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Madang – Port Moresby – Townsville
MSN:
32659/15911
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Madang to Townsville with an intermediate stop in Port Moresby-Jackson Airport. While cruising over the Coral Sea, a dual engine failure forced the crew to ditch the aircraft some 200 km south of Port Moresby. All 28 occupants took refuge into dinghies and were later rescued. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Crew (243rd Squadron):
P/O Frank Leslie Carnell, pilot,
W/O Nutt,
F/Sgt Wrench,
F/Sgt Moffatt.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld20.htm
Probable cause:
Dual engine failure.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator into the Atlantic Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
38765
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Jacksonville - Jacksonville
MSN:
4282
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The crew left Jacksonville-Towers Field NAS on a radar bombing exercise over the Bahamas. The radio operator informed ground about his position, about 60 miles west of Andros Town. This was the last message. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It is believed the aircraft crashed into the sea between Andros Island and Florida.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-101207
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
30662
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Lost without trace while on a transpacific flight with seven crew members on board.
Crew:
Cpt Virgil Benson,
Cpl Edward F. Ciepiela,
S/Sgt Luelmer E. Criswell,
Cpl Allen R. Hoke,
Cpl Louis H. Hopkins Jr.,
Cpl Ernest P. Kirkland,
Cpl William R. Nordell.

Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-1 Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-203
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
61131
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base following a mission over the Pescadores Islands (Penghu Islands), Taiwan. The seaplane failed to arrive and is presumed to have crashed into the Pacific Ocean. No trace was ever found.
Crew 20th Squadron):
W/O William Voss Bates,
Sgt Walter Douglas Scott,
F/Sgt William Alan Rowe,
Sgt Alfred Russel,
Sgt Donald Kelway Storrie,
W/O James Reginald Cleworth,
W/O Malcolm Oswald Merrett,
W/O Ross William Schulz,
F/O Keith McClement Caulley.

Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-1 Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44244
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While landing on rough sea, the seaplane was hit by a large swell and sank. Six crew members were killed while three others were rescued.
Probable cause:
Hit by swell on landing.