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Crash of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress into the Gulf of Mexico: 11 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1943 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-6031
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
6327
YOM:
1942
Location:
Gulf of Mexico
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 aircraft left an airbase located in the south of the US for a combined exercise with five other similar aircraft over the Gulf of Mexico. In flight, the top of the rudder of 41-24621 hit the right wing of 42-6031. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the sea and crashed some 50 miles off Galveston, Texas. All 22 occupants in both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Oscar A. Bennett,
Sgt William B. Culp Jr.,
Sgt Charles L. Findley,
2nd Lt Oscar L. Koegel Jr.,
Sgt Reinhold Kubarth,
Cpt Henry A. Lewis,
Sgt William P. Pine,
2nd Lt Alva W. Redding Jr.,
Sgt Richard E. Royer,
Sgt B. J. Smith,
Sgt William W. Volkner.
Probable cause:
It appears the collision was caused by a wrong judgement on part of both crew involved.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress into the Gulf of Mexico: 11 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1943 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-24621
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
3306
YOM:
1942
Location:
Gulf of Mexico
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 aircraft left an airbase located in the south of the US for a combined exercise with five other similar aircraft over the Gulf of Mexico. In flight, the top of the rudder of 41-24621 hit the right wing of 42-6031. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the sea and crashed some 50 miles off Galveston, Texas. All 22 occupants in both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John F. Arrillaga,
Sgt Joe T. Barron,
2nd Lt Paul Bradnan,
Sgt Howard J. Code,
S/Sgt John E. Linam,
Sgt John T. Loften,
2nd Lt George J. Long,
2nd Lt James J. Palack,
1st Lt Robert H. Smith,
Sgt Jack L. Stewart,
2nd Lt Stevenson A. Williams.
Probable cause:
It appears the collision was caused by a wrong judgement on part of both crew involved.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator V into the Bay of Biscay: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
FL959
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
157
YOM:
1941
Location:
Bay of Biscay
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Shot down by the pilot of a German fighter (JU.88) over the Bay of Biscay, while on a patrol flight. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator V into the Bay of Biscay

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
FL938
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
154
YOM:
1941
Location:
Bay of Biscay
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shot down by the pilot of a German fighter (JU.88) over the Bay of Biscay. The captain was able to ditch the aircraft and all occupants were rescued while the aircraft sank.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-268 into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1943 at 2341 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
SE-BAF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Aberdeen – Stockholm
MSN:
2133
YOM:
1939
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Gladan' left Aberdeen-Dyce Airport at 2023LT bound for Stockholm-Bromma. At 2341LT, eleven minutes after the last radio contact, while cruising at an altitude of 5,100 meters, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 70 km west of Hirsthals, Denmark. No trace of the aircraft was found.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator into the Gulf of Bengal: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
FK239
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Colombo - Colombo
MSN:
209
YOM:
1941
Location:
Gulf of Bengal
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Lost without trace in the Bay of Bengal, off the Andaman Islands, while on a maritime patrol flight. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I into the Pacific Ocean

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
6869
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Patricia Bay - Patricia Bay
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie from Patricia Bay on behalf of the 32nd OTU. En route, the right engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft about 250 km southwest of Vancouver (48°10'00.0"N 126°09'00.0"W). All three crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator into the Solomon Sea: 11 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11903
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
399
YOM:
1941
Location:
Solomon Sea
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 four-engine aircraft left Port Moresby-5 Mile Airfield in the morning on a patrol flight over New Britain and then Solomon Sea. At 1316LT, the crew informed ground that they sighted seven enemy ships and that they will attack. This was the last radio contact. The aircraft christened 'Hells Angels' most probably crashed into the Solomon Sea and no trace of it nor the crew was found.
Crew (90th Squadron):
1st Lt Lewis G. Jones, pilot,
2nd Lt Samuel A. Robinson, copilot,
2nd Lt Julien H. Hicks, navigator,
1st Lt Billy D. Hunter, bombardier,
T/Sgt Irving S. Berman, flight engineer,
T/Sgt John J. Hennessey, radio operator,
S/Sgt Chester L. Bull, air gunner,
S/Sgt Samuel P. Culp, assistant radio,
S/Sgt Billie D. Feather, assistant engineer,
S/Sgt Emerson C. Fie, photographer,
S/Sgt Robert W. Whitehead, air gunner.
Source:
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/41-11903.html

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Arafura Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-181
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Milingimbi - Milingimbi
MSN:
414-6353
YOM:
1941
Location:
Arafura Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a maritime patrol flight over the sea of Arafura. In flight, twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea, killing all four crew members.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
Sgt Lamb, pilot,
Sgt Ikin, navigator,
Sgt N. McLean, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt M. Jackson, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III into the Atlantic Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1943 at 0915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
DD859
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Reykjavik
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:
5
Circumstances:
The seaplane left RAF Castle Archdale around 0500LT on a routine maritime patrol flight to Reykjavik, Iceland. Around 0915LT, the crew spotted the German U-Boat registered U-489 that was performing its first sortie from Kiel. The crew of the Sunderland completed four attacks when he was hit by enemy fire. The captain was forced to ditch the aircraft that sank within 5 minutes. Five crew members were killed while six others were rescued. The U-Boat was lost as well.
Crew (423rd Squadron):
F/O Harry Bertram Parliament,
Sgt Frank Ginger Hadcroft 9.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
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