Military

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Des Moines - Alliance

MSN:

11728

YOM:

1943

Location:

Malcolm

Nebraska

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a flight from Des Moines, Iowa, to the air base of Alliance, Nebraska. En route, it went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a prairie located in Malcolm, northwest of Lincoln. All 13 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Pvt Chester T. Beczynski,
Cpl Edward A. Bloom,
Sgt Robert D. Hager Jr.,
Pfc Joseph T. Jurczyk,
Sgt Frank P. Krejci,
Cpl Arthur R. Markham,
S/Sgt Walker H. McCartney,
Pfc Robert A. McClymonds,
1st Lt James S. Mills,
Pvt George Ralich,
2nd Lt Edgar D. Rogers,
Pfc Sam Ross,
Pfc Howard E. Wiegand.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined but the assumption that the aircraft may have been hit by lightning while he was flying through a low pressure area is not ruled out.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in the Assam mountains: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-18518

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Dibrugarh – Kunming

MSN:

4610

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Dibrugarh-Mohanbari Airport bound for Kunming. En route, while cruising in the region of Sookerating at 1418LT, the crew contacted ground to obtain a weather briefing for Kunming Airport. This was the last radio transmission. The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere between Sookerating and Kunming, most probably in the mountains of the Assam State. No trace was ever found.
Crew (1st TPG):
2nd Lt Howard G. Bushey,
1st Lt Robert D. Coker,
S/Sgt Walter A. Hynes.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Catania: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-18418

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)

MSN:

4480

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was taking part to the invasion of Sicily on the operation christened 'Husky'. While approaching Catania, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the Italian Flak and crashed in a field located south of Catania. All 4 crew members were killed.
Crew (12th TCS):
Sgt Herbert A. Rhoads,
1st Lt Clyde W. Saunders,
S/Sgt Joseph A. Serosky,
1st Lt Sidney Slotoroff.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the Italian Flak.

Crash of a Douglas C-53D-DO Skytrooper near Catania: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

42-68714

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

11641

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was taking part to the invasion of Sicily on the operation christened 'Husky'. While approaching Catania, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the Italian Flak and crashed in a field located 10 km south of Catania. All 4 crew members were killed.
Crew (10th TCS):
T/Sgt William Gesek,
2nd Lt Robert C. Malone Jr.,
1st Lt Raymond A. Runzel,
Sgt Peter A. Sheridan.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the Italian Flak.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL off Gela: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1943 at 2300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

42-5689

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Kairouan - Kairouan

MSN:

7383

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was taking part to the invasion of Sicily on the operation christened 'Husky 1'. While approaching Gela, the twin engine aircraft was mistakenly shot down by friendly fire and crashed into the sea 3 km off shore. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (314th TCG):
Sgt Courtney D. Allington,
1st Lt Harold J. Funk,
T/Sgt William H. Mundy,
2nd Lt Richard S. Steeb.

Probable cause:

Shot down by friendly fire.

Crash of a Douglas Dakota III in Tunis: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1943 at 2208 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

FD815

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Tunis - Tunis

MSN:

9132

YOM:

1943

Location:

Tunis

Tunis Governorate (ولاية تونس‎)

Country:

Tunisia

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

913

Captain / Total hours on type:

120.00

Circumstances:

Three minutes after its night take off from Tunis-El Aouina Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft caught fire and crashed in flames 5 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Crew (267th Squadron):
F/O G. V. Gibson, pilot,
F/O H. G. Spencer, copilot,
Lt S. M. Yardwyn, navigator,
F/Sgt K. Patterson, wireless operator.
Passengers:
W/Cdr F. S. Leslie,
Maj Baxter.
Source: http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17280-Dakota-FD815-Dummy-Parachutists

Probable cause:

The Court finds that a fire occurred in the aircraft, probably at the rear end of the cabin, shortly after take-off. There is no direct evidence as to the origin of the fire. The Court, however, considers that the fire did not originate in a dummy parachutist, but could have originated by the accidental firing of a pintail. The Court does not have any evidence as to the cause of the crash, but considers it possible that the fire inside the fuselage destroyed the elevator controls, or produced so much smoke as to blind the pilot. The highly inflammable nature of the cargo would have made remedial action almost impossible once a dummy parachutist had caught fire, which would happen at once if ignited by a pintail. The accidental firing of a dummy on the other hand gives three minutes warning during which the dummy could have been jettisoned. The Court considers that Major Baxter was properly instructed and capable of performing his duties. He probably commenced arming the pintails as soon as airborne. This coincides with the outbreak of the fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Scoglitti: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

42-5691

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: