Crash of a Consolidated B-24E-25-FO Liberator in Gate: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-7436
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
460
Location:
Gate
Oklahoma
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route, the B-24 Liberator collided in unknown circumstances with another USAAF Liberator registered 41-28491 and carrying a crew of four. Both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed 8 miles southwest of Gate. All nine occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt J. B. Bolyn, pilot,
PFC Frank Ganz,
F/O Roger F. Hance,
2nd Lt Chester H. Henson Jr,
2nd Lt Blanchard J. Horne Jr.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24E-20-DT Liberator in Gate: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-28491
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
83
Location:
Gate
Oklahoma
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route, the B-24 Liberator collided in unknown circumstances with another USAAF Liberator registered 42-7436 and carrying a crew of five. Both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed 8 miles southwest of Gate. All nine occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt George W. Medley, pilot, 3.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Barrackpore: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-60953
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26828
Location:
Barrackpore
West Bengal
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off for unknown reason. At least one crew member was killed in the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Conwy

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-15105
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
19571
YOM:
1944
Location:
Conwy
Clwyd
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes before his scheduled arrival at RAF Anglesey, the crew encountered a double engine failure and was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field. The aircraft crash landed on the west bank of the River Conwy, near the city of Conwy. All five occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Dual engine failure caused by fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Dakar

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-15177
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
19643
Location:
Dakar
Dakar Region
Country:
Senegal
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off for unknown reason. No casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar north of Cairo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-60 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
42-55919
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
18-2334
YOM:
1943
Location:
Cairo-Payne AFB
Cairo
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route, both engines failed, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing 37 km north of Cairo-Payne AFB. At least one crew member was killed in the accident.
Crew:
Peter Patrician. †
Probable cause:
Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

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 North American B-25H-1 Mitchell near Nungba: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1944
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
43-4242
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Imphal - Mirzapur
MSN:
98-21243
Location:
Nungba
Manipur
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Some half an hour after its departure from Imphal, while flying southwest of Nungba in poor weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field. All ten occupants were killed, among them the pilot Brian F. Hodges and the British Army Major General Orde Charles Wingate, commander of the Chindits.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Horn Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-2497
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2308
YOM:
1941
Location:
Horn Island
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Horn Island Airport, at a height of 250 feet, the aircraft nosed up, stalled and crashed in a mangrove on the shore. All 17 occupants were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Later, two crew members died from their injuries.
Crew (317th TCG):
Cpt William Compton, pilot,
1st Lt Donovan, copilot,
1st Lt Paul Maaske,
T/Sgt Paul Paddilla,
S/Sgt J. C. Matthowa, †
Cpl Julian Simmons, †
2nd Lt Edward Scudero,
T/Sgt Delbert Steinka,
T/Sgt C. M. Porter,
S/Sgt Charles Kreig.
Passengers:
T/Sgt Cecil Clarke,
P. F. C. Swain,
S/Sgt John Masiars,
Pte Daniel Pechman,
Pte Paul Graf,
T/Sgt T. Underwood,
Pfc James Colorusso.

Crash of a Douglas C-54-DO Skymaster near Stephenville

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
41-37278
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
3068
YOM:
1943
Location:
Stephenville
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Anguille Mountains, south of Stephenville. Crew fate unknown.
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