Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DL in Magadan: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
09295
YOM:
27
Location:
Magadan
Magadan oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Magadan Airport, while climbing to a height of 300 meters, the aircraft stalled and crashed on the left bank of the Duksha River. Two crew members and four passengers were killed.
Probable cause:
The trimmer of the horizontal stabilizer had been connected in the wrong way during the repair by the PARM-1 field workshop at Magadan Airport before the flight.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 in Nouméa: 23 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1943 at 0055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
12406
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Nouméa – Sydney
MSN:
9178
YOM:
1943
Location:
Nouméa-La Tontouta
New Caledonia
Country:
New Caledonia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Nouméa-La Tontouta by night bound for Sydney, with 23 US Navy pilots and officers on board. During the initial climb, one of the engine failed. The pilot tried to return to the airport but the aircraft stalled and crashed in the St Vincent Bay, few miles from the airport. All 23 occupants were killed, among them 16 US Navy pilots.
Crew:
1st Lt Robert Wesley Kirkpatrick,
Sgt John Henry Clark,
Robert Leon Parr.
Passengers:
Lt Col Paul Woret,
Lt Cdr Welden Lee Hamilton,
Lt Paul Edward Babel,
Lt Donald Randall Burke,
Lt William Robert Weiss,
Lt Sidney Quick,
Lt John Clifford Liverey,
Lt V. F. Flynn,
Robert Hayewood,
Charles Sterling Hall,
Ordien Fenmore Herr,
Bernard Gordon Robinson,
Jack Foster Young,
Carl Lee Cobb,
Alley Burton Conrad,
Cpl Lewis Ray Baughman,
Pfc Keith Horney,
W. T. Owen,
Col Joseph E. Stevenot,
Ellwin Albert Teal.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DL in Maxton AFB: 20 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1943 at 0400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-23512
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Fayetteville-Pope – Maxton
MSN:
9374
YOM:
1943
Location:
Maxton AFB
North Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
On final approach by night and in poor weather conditions, while at a height of 200 feet, the aircraft nosed down and crashed in a field located 4 miles short of runway. All 20 occupants were killed, among them 16 glider pilots.
Probable cause:
Weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident with thunderstorm activity and turbulence in the approach path.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60 LodeStar in Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-60 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
42-108790
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
18-2169
YOM:
1942
Location:
Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton)
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Wright-Patterson AFB, the aircraft stalled and crashed. The crew fate remains unknown.
Probable cause:
Loss of control shortly after rotation caused by an engine failure.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Fiji Islands: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1943 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4006
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Suva – Auckland
MSN:
1338
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Suva Airport in the night on a routine mission to Auckland. While cruising over the Pacific Ocean, the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances. Some debris were found few days later on beaches near Lauthala Bay but no trace of the 15 occupants.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Molotov: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L344
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Perm
Perm Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Just after rotation from Molotov Airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed. It veered off runway, hit a parked Lisunov LI-2 registered CCCP-L3962 and came to rest in a wooded hangar. All three crew members were killed while all seven passengers were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The pilot attempted to take off from a wrong runway and the rotation was completed after a take-off roll of 340 meters only. Due to an insufficient speed, the aircraft stalled shortly after take off.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-5-CU Commando in Kunming

Date & Time: May 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-12323
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26450
YOM:
1943
Location:
Kunming
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Vel'Kal: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Uelkal
Chukotka okrug
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While descending to Vel'Kal Airport in clouds, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and was destroyed. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-10-CU Commando on Black Mountain: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 28, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-12355
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
26482
YOM:
1943
Location:
Black Mountain
Colorado
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While overflying Colorado, the aircraft hit the slope of the Black Mountain located some 15 miles west of Guffey. Both pilots, sole on board, were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Robert E. McIntyre, pilot,
2nd Lt William H. Eisenman Jr., copilot.
Probable cause:
The crew was asleep with the autopilot ON when the accident occurred.
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