Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
34035
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
North Island - Kaneohe
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Disappeared en route from North Island-Halsey Field NAS (San Diego) to Kaneohe Bay NAS, Hawaii. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-40-DL near Haverfordwest: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-24018
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
9880
YOM:
1943
Location:
Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances some 13 miles northeast of Haverfordwest, Wales. The crew Richard Jack Burr was killed in the accident.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder near Accra

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
FK116
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
7384
YOM:
1941
Location:
Accra
Greater Accra
Country:
Ghana
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Accra. Crew fate remains unknown.

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

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
FK202
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
2610
YOM:
1941
Location:
Lajes
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances off Lajes Airport, on Terceira Island. All crew members were rescued and uninjured while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator in Fenton

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-40504
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1581
Location:
Fenton
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing at Fenton, the aircraft christened 'Gus's Bus' suffered a gear failure and came to rest. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair but later salvaged.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failure on landing.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator into the Tyrrhenian Sea: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11767
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Foggia – Catania
MSN:
263
YOM:
1941
Location:
Tyrrhenian Sea
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 on a flight from Foggia to Catania. Probably crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea. No trace of the aircraft christened 'Shanghi Lil' nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator off Londonderry

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
FL954
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
102
YOM:
1941
Location:
Londonderry
Londonderry
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Londonderry Airport, the aircraft crashed in the Lough Foyle. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-5-CO Liberator in RAF St Mawgan: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1943 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-73046
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Saint Mawgan - Seething
MSN:
2616
Location:
Newquay-Saint Mawgan AFB
Cornwall
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night take off from RAF Saint Mawgan, en route from Florida to RAF Seething, Norfolk, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew (448th BG):
2nd Lt Lewis B. Cowherd,
2nd Lt John E. Cox,
T/Sgt Douglas E. Du Verger,
2nd Lt Robert E. Farrington,
S/Sgt Keith E. Goar,
S/Sgt George H. Guild,
2nd Lt Joseph F. Hurstel,
S/Sgt Wayne Jolley,
S/Sgt Allen F. Schuhsler,
T/Sgt Richard J. Stasiak,
S/Sgt Albert Yamsek.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-40-DL into the Pacific Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-23965
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hickam - Palmyra Island
MSN:
9827
YOM:
1943
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
En route from Hickam AFB (Honolulu) to Cooper Airfield on Palmyra Atoll, the aircraft disappeared into the ocean while approaching Palmyra. As the aircraft did not arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 14 crew members was found. The last radio contact with the crew reported a position about 80 km northeast of Palmyra Atoll.
Crew:
Lt Col James P. Barr Jr.,
Maj Elmer C. Best,
1st Lt Charles F. Bowers,
Cpt Jack E. Copeland,
S/Sgt Raymond G. Curtis,
T/Sgt Thomas W. Graves,
1st Lt William H. Henderson,
S/Sgt Carmelo A. Lauricella,
2nd Lt Vincent Leonard,
Cpt Floyd S. Lewis,
Cpt George H. McIlwain,
Cpt Marvin F. Stahl,
Pfc Louis A. Tomasulo,
1st Lt John J. Zidzik.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-25-CO Liberator III in Saint-Donat: 24 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1943 at 2045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
3701
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Gander - Mont-Joli
MSN:
1031
YOM:
1943
Location:
Saint-Donat
Quebec
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
The aircraft was returning to Canada from the European War Theater with 20 soldiers in permission and a crew of four. After a fuel stop in Gander, the aircraft continued its route to Mont-Joli Airfield. While cruising by night and in snow falls at an altitude of 2,871 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of the Black Mountain (Montagne Noire) located near Saint-Donat, in the Laurentides. SAR operations were conducted for several weeks and 728 reconnaissance flights for a total of 2,438 flying hours were completed without success. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Eventually, the wreckage was found by hikers on June 26, 1946. In 2015, this accident is still considered as the worst in the RCAF History.
Crew (10th Squadron):
F/Lt J. A. R. Poirier, pilot,
F/O S. A. Sanderson, copilot,
F/Lt R. F. Fisher,
F/O J. S. Johnston.
Passengers:
W/O J. A. Barabonoff,
W/O F. E. Jenkins,
W/O J. Silverstein,
W/O W. I. Howlett,
P/O J. Lamont,
P/O R. W. McDonald,
Sgt E. M. Finn,
Sgt W. J. Macnaughton,
Sgt R. F. Ware,
Sgt F. H. Elliot,
Cpl H. D. Beattie,
LAC C. L. Dynes,
Cpl A. C. Johnston,
Sgt S. A. Wood,
LAC J. A. J. P. Veilleux,
LAC G. R. Patterson,
Cpl H. K. Hambley,
Cpl R. D. Marr,
LAC E. W. Head,
LAC A. J. Radcliffe.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was never identified conclusively. Nevertheless, it is believed it was caused by the following combined factors: snow storm, inaccurate maps and an improperly set altimeter.
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