Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 near Manoel Ribeiro: 18 killed

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
01988
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
4552
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
En route, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near Manoel Ribeiro, some 48 km east of Rio de Janeiro. All 18 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in McAlester

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
43-5235
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
226
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing in McAlester for unknown reason. On landing, the single engine aircraft hit a gully and came to rest upside down. All four occupants were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Lt Murry Witherby, pilot.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III into the Bay of Biscay: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1943 at 0555 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED735
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rabat – Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left Rabat at 2340LT on November 17 bound for RAF Coningsby. While overflying the Bay of Biscay north of the Portuguese coast, the aircraft was lost around 0555LT, probably after being shot down by a German fighter. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (617th Squadron):
F/Lt E. E. G. Youseman, pilot,
F/S S. Wittingham,
F/O E. Fleshka,
F/O W. C. Grimes,
W/O A. Laughland,
F/Sgt R. Florence,
W/O J. B. O'Grady.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DL near Rewan: 19 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1943 at 1500 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-23420
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Batchelor – Gorrie – Daly Waters – Cloncurry – Brisbane
MSN:
9451
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Pushy Cat' left Batchelor Airfield in the Northern Territory at 0730LT bound for Archerfield Airport in Brisbane with intermediate stops in Gorrie, Daly Waters and Cloncurry. The aircraft was unable to land at Gorrie because the airfield was out of order, so the crew landed at Daly Waters where additional passengers were picked up. The aircraft arrived in Cloncurry at 1245LT where three more Australian soldiers boarded the aircraft. En route from Cloncurry to Brisbane, the aircraft went through a thunderstorm area, broke up in mid-air and crashed in the Carnarvon canyon located southwest of Rewan. The wreckage was found two days later and all 19 occupants were killed.
Crew (21st Transport Group:
2nd Lt Raymond E. Anglin, pilot,
2nd Lt Joseph W. Kennedy, copilot,
Sgt Frank J. Ropinski, flight engineer,
Sgt Harold L. Baumstein, radio operator.
Passengers:
Sgt Robert L. Adkins,
F/Lt Roy Edgar Abbot,
F/Lt Albert Ernest Watkin,
Sgt Ronald Keith Pitchford,
Cpl William Brady,
Cpl Francis Paul Morris,
LAC John Given Maxwell,
LAC Stanley Kirk Sims,
Lt Harley Horace Lockie,
Lt Ross Rowsell,
Sgt Victor Frederick Bishop,
Sgt Thomas William Davey,
Sgt William Joseph Parker,
Pvt William Howard Dorman,
Pvt Andrew Henry Mildren.
Probable cause:
Heavy turbulence in a low-pressure area caused excessive forces on the structure of the aircraft that broke in mid-air and crashed.

Crash of a Vickers 456 Warwick I in Sleights Moor: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BV336
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thornaby - Thornaby
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Thornaby at 1640LT to perform an ASR mission off the Dutch coast. As no crew was assisted or evacuated on the North Sea, the crew decided to return to RAF Thornaby and while approaching the British coast, he encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity. While a second Warwick was able to continue its route, BV336 was maybe struck by lightning or suffered turbulence, went out of control and dove into the ground before crashing in a field. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (280th Squadron):
S/L Edgar Andrew Good, pilot,
F/O Willis Wylie Coons, navigator,
F/O Dennis Maurice Stewart, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt William Vernon Crockett, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Douglas Allan Payton, wireless operator and air gunner,
W/O Henry George Richardson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by lightning and turbulence.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Leros Island: 12 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
6799
YOM:
1940
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 invasion of Leros Island. On approach, the three engine aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea, killing all 12 crew members.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dominie I in RAF Cranfield: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
X7368
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hucknall - Cranfield
MSN:
6528
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Cranfield, the twin engine aircraft collided with a RAF Bristol Beaufighter registered R2252 and carrying a crew of three. Following the collision, both planes dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field located few hundred yards short of runway threshold. All eight occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Crew of DH.89 Dominie I:
F/Lt Archibald Menzies Fitzrandolph, pilot.
Passengers:
F/Lt Ian Harper Courtney,
Sgt Eric Povey,
2nd Lt M. Schenker,
2nd Lt J. K. Peters.
Crew of Beaufighter:
F/Lt Michael William Kinmonth, pilot,
F/Sgt Lionel Maxwell Amesbury, pilot,
Cpl Jose Cecilia Hayes.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-150-CO Liberator in Fenton: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-41242
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fenton - Fenton
MSN:
2319
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Fenton Airport, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew (380th BG):
Lt Wilfred Grenfell, pilot 9.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III into the Bay of Biscay: 12 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1943 at 1755 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EK572
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pembroke Dock - Gibraltar
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While approaching the Spanish coast, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the Bay of Biscay, killing all 12 occupants.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.