Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Avellino: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1944 at 0830 LT
Operator:
Registration:
43-15153
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Naples – Foggia – Ramitelli
MSN:
19619
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Naples-Capodichino Airport at 0800LT bound for Ramitelli AFB, with an intermediate stop in Foggia. Some thirty minutes later, the crew encountered foggy conditions and the visibility was low. Suddenly, the captain saw a mountain ahead of him and attempted to gain height. Unfortunately, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area. Nine passengers were killed while all 13 other occupants, among them all four crew members, were injured.
Crew (436th TCG):
Lt Howard B. Wank, pilot,
Lt Marvin Butz, copilot,
S/Sgt Charles T. Taylor, radio operator,
Sgt Raymond H. Kelley, crew chief.
Passengers who were killed:
PFC Walker Dozier,
PFC Morgan Fairfield Jr,
T/Sgt James A. Gaston,
PFC Theodore Harrison,
Sgt James C. Wyatt,
PFC Earnest Hill,
PFC William L. Hill,
PFC Loney Portee,
Sgt James A. Wright.
Source: http://www.1943salerno.it/ritrovamenti/36-il-dakota.html

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III near Salalah: 32 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
KG690
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Riyan - Salalah
MSN:
13557
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a flight from Riyan to Salalah on behalf of the 44th SAAF Squadron, carrying five crew members and 27 passengers, among them locals. While approaching Salalah from the west in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain, crashed and exploded about 48 km west of Salalah. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 32 occupants were killed. The wreckage was found about 630 feet above sea level.
Crew:
Lt C. J. K. Schutte, pilot,
Lt J. H. Glenny, copilot,
Lt G. C. Pennington, observer,
Cpl R. Hosmer, wireless operator,
Cpl R. B. Boraine, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Pilot was well briefed at both Sheikh Othman and Riyan in correct approaches to Salalah and was instructed that in thick weather only safe approach to Salalah was on bearing between 300° and 360°. Pilot was approaching Salalah on a bearing of 051° which is unsafe in thick weather unless approach is made at not less than 5,000 feet. It was impossible to ascertain from the wreckage whether there had been engine trouble but assumed not as aircraft was in good w/t communication with Salalah immediately before crash and made no distress signals.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Kunming

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-60997
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
26872
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For undetermined reason, the aircraft belly landed and was damaged beyond repair. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK near Port Logan: 22 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1944 at 1600 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-93038
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bristol – Prestwick – Keflavik – Godthab – Gander – Boston – New York
MSN:
12905
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
While cruising at low height in marginal weather conditions over the Irish Sea, the aircraft hit the Mull of Galloway (400 feet high) located south of Port Logan, Wigtownshire. The aircraft hit the mountain six feet from its summit and was totally destroyed. All 22 occupants were killed, among them two medical staff and US soldiers wounded in Normandy and flying back to the US.
Crew:
1st Lt Galen R. Hendricks, pilot,
2nd Lt Raymond Hutchings, copilot,
F/O Dan Willard Meshew, pilot,
2nd Lt Leon Julius Tully, navigator,
Sgt Jay V. Alcorn, radio operator,
S/Sgt Merl William Skinner, crew chief.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Mary Edith Jackley,
John Henry Salmi,
Maj Irving I. Shure,
2nd Lt John Wilbur Ingram,
2nd Lt Theron S. Ward,
Sgt Ernest Howard Corvin,
Sgt Billy G. Morris,
Cpl Elmer F. Lauf,
James D. Green,
Keith Glenn Lowdermilk,
Marcus Saspochnikoff,
James E. W. Ayers,
Edmund Leroy Davis,
Donald R. Hammerstrom,
Jack F. Sheidler,
LAC Samuel Gilmour.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/Douglas-C-47A-42-93038-Cairngarroch-Bay.htm

Crash of a Consolidated C-87-CF on Florida Island: 27 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1944 at 2030 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-11706
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Canton Island - Honiara
MSN:
202
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Canton Island (Kiribati) at 1100LT bound for Honiara Airport, on Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands, with an ETA at 2100LT. While on approach by night, the four engine aircraft hit a mountain slope (2,000 feet high) located on the Florida Island, north of Honiara. The wreckage was spotted two days later, on July 28. Debris were found some 200 feet from the summit and all 27 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Hugh W. Prince, pilot,
Frederick F. Gundrum Jr., copilot,
Willard L. Churchill, flight engineer,
Eddie B. Hult, navigator,
J. Arthur Strumph, radio operator,
William A. Staley, traffic clerk.
Passengers:
Air Commodore Isaac John Fitch,
Lt Col John C. Pearson,
Maj R. R. Barton-Tates,
Lt Col Paul H. Berkowitz,
Lt Col Euliss L. Duggan,
Col Charles P. Burnett Jr.,
1st Lt Stephen J. Maliszewski,
2nd Lt William P. Foil,
Cpt Herbert R. Gore,
Cpt John S. Ingraham,
Maj Morton L. Talley Jr. 10
Source, photo and more info on
http://www.archaehistoria.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123:site-flor5-aircraft-top-secret-cargo-consairway-c-87-liberator-express-41-11706&catid=21&Itemid=102

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D Liberator in Lisbon: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1944 at 1700 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L-2
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1860
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach to Lisbon Airport. Eight crew members were killed while six others were injured.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Lajes

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1944 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
FK189
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2328
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off, an engine exploded. The aircraft crashed near the runway end and was destroyed. No casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion.

Crash of an Avro 685 York in Gibraltar

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MW119
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Northolt - Gibraltar
MSN:
MW119
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach, during the last segment, the captain decided to go around. The aircraft hit the runway surface, went out of control and came to rest into the sea. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while there was no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-5-DO Skymaster into the Atlantic Ocean: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1944 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-107470
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London – Keflavik – Stephenville – New York
MSN:
7489
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The last radio contact with the crew was about three hours into the flight after departure from Keflavik. SAR operations were conducted southeast of Greenland but they were eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. All six crew members were employees of the Transcontinental & Western Air but were conducting this flight under the Air Transport Command. All passengers were US Army personnel flying back home.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Tezpur

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
43-5273
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
264
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing for unknown reason. No casualties.