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Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DK in the Pacific Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-92815
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Fairfield AFB - Hickam AFB
MSN:
12657
YOM:
1944
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Fairfield-Saisun AFB in California at 0237LT on a flight to Hickam Field, Honolulu, with a crew of five on board. At 0805LT (PST), the last radio contact was heard. As the aircraft never arrived at destination, SAR operations were conducted and eventually suspended one week later on April 9, 1944. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura V in the Mediterranean Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
FP633
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oran - Oran
Location:
Mediterranean Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight over the Mediterranean Sea. En route, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by mistake by a RAF Beaufighter and crashed into the sea. All five crewmen were killed.
Crew (500th Squadron):
F/O Wayne Sheldon Shea,
F/O Vernon Clifford Pockson,
P/O Frederick Joseph Schmidt,
W/O Henry Ernest Parsloe,
Sgt John Philip Taylor.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-DO Skymaster into the Atlantic Ocean: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
41-37274
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
3064
YOM:
1943
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was shot down by British fighters because it was approaching a ships convoy. The airplane was carrying dive flap modification kits for P-38's.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III into the Pacific Ocean: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FL650
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
12079
YOM:
1943
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of British Columbia. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in the Pacific Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1944
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
N5-191
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route, crew was forced to ditch the aircraft into the Pacific Ocean. A crew was rescued while all three others were killed. The reason of the occurrence is unknown.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in the Pacific Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
01989
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Seattle - Kodiak
MSN:
4553
YOM:
1942
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
En route, while cruising over the North Pacific, the aircraft disappeared in unknown circumstances. SAR operations were conducted and eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 14 occupants was ever found.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in the Gulf of Mexico

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
08535
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Gulf of Mexico
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew lost his orientation while performing a maritime patrol mission over the Gulf of Mexico. Captain decided to ditch the aircraft some 160 km west of Tampa, Florida. While all five occupants were rescued, the seaplane sunk and was lost.
Probable cause:
Crew became lost in flight.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder in the Mediterranean Sea

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
FK362
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
7419
YOM:
1941
Location:
Mediterranean Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crew was performing a flight from Italy to Algeria when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Mediterranean Sea. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-15-FO Liberator into the Atlantic Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-52349
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1066
YOM:
1943
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the South Atlantic Ocean. No trace was ever found. All 14 crew members were killed.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III in the Celtic Sea: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1944 at 1523 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
JM709
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Pembroke Dock - Pembroke Dock
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew (228th Squadron) was engaged in an anti submarine patrol mission over the Bay of Biscay, and left RAF Pembroke Dock at 0537LT. The seaplane aircraft was flying in the clouds and when it came out of the cloudy area, it was spotted by the pilot of a Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Fw.190. It was shot down and crashed some 190 km west of Brest, France. All 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down.
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