Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow I into the Moray Firth: 18 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow
Operator:
Registration:
K6946
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wick - Lossiemouth
Location:
Inverness
Inverness-shire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Wick to RAF Lossiemouth. While flying over the Moray Firth, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea off Inverness. Despite significant SAR operations, no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (782nd Squadron):
Lt Anthony J. E. Howey,
LAC Cyril A. Tilbury,
LAC Frederick J. Burton,
LAC John Graham,
LAC William Thompson
F/Sgt Frank S. Barnes,
LAC Leslie Bool,
AC2 Sidney J. W. Clark,
AC1 Kenneth Douglas Drage,
LAC John Garden,
Cpl Edward F. J. W. Hoare,
AC1 Kenneth R. Morse,
F/Lt Walter H. Nicholson,
Sgt Eric J. M. Riordan,
AC1 James S. Stevenson 3.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson near Dartmouth: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
771
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Torbay – Dartmouth
MSN:
414-2853
YOM:
1941
Location:
Dartmouth
Nova Scotia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from Torbay to Darmouth. On approach, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 11 miles from its intended destination. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Eventually, the wreckage was spotted on November 6, 1944.
Crew (145th Squadron):
P/O Thomas Albert Kidd Watterson,
F/S R. C. Rolfe,
W/O Stick.
Passengers:
F/L J. T. Hook,
F/O W. H. Thompson,
Lt Snell.

Crash of a Consolidated LB-32-3 Liberator II in Gander: 19 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated LB-30 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
AL591
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
89
Location:
Gander
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
On final approach to Gander Airport, following a flight from England, the aircraft stalled and crashed 10 miles from the airfield. Two passengers were seriously injured while 19 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
All four engines failed on approach due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator off Messina: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11602
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
98
YOM:
1941
Location:
Messina
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While overflying the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Mediterranean Sea off Messina. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the eight crew members.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87-CF Liberator Express off Topham: 18 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1943 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express
Operator:
Registration:
41-23903
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
698
Location:
Topham, Canton Island
All Kiribati
Country:
Kiribati
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
On final approach to Topham Airfield (Canton Island), by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in to the sea few hundred yards off shore. 18 occupants were killed while three others were rescued. The flight was operated by a United Airlines crew on behalf of the Air Transport Command (ATC).
Source: ASN
Probable cause:
It was deemed possible that an asymmetric flap deployment caused the accident.

Crash of a North American B-25C Mitchell in MacDonald: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
N5-132
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
82-5554
Location:
MacDonald
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from MacDonald Airfield, while climbing, the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion some 3-4 miles from the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (18th Squadron):
Schalk,
Hiele,
Janssen,
Kessels,
Maarschalkerweerd,
Abeleven,
MacPherson.
Source & photo: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nt83.htm

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in RAF Winthorpe

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
L7530
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Winthorpe AFB
Nottinghamshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overrun and came to rest in a field. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-53 near Putao: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
MA929
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dinjan – Fort Hertz
MSN:
4933
YOM:
1942
Location:
Putao
Kachin State
Country:
Myanmar
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Dinjan Airport at 1330LT on a routine flight to Fort Hertz, Burma. Thirty minutes later, the aircraft was spotted by the pilot of a Hudson flying at an altitude of 7,000 feet near the city of Kamku, Arunachal Pradesh. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It is believed the aircraft may have crash in the northwestern region of Burma, northwest of Putao.
Source: ASN

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

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11603
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
99
YOM:
1941
Location:
Messina
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying along the Italian shore, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off Messina. The crew fate remains unknown while the aircraft christened 'Malicious' was lost.
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