Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after take off, the captain decided to return due to unknown technical problems. The four engine aircraft crashed on landing and was wrecked. All six crew members were unhurt.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-08-01 in South Africa

Date & Time: May 6, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

246

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

18-2053

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

During take off, swerved, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. No casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A Liberator off Ju Island

Date & Time: May 5, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

40-2376

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crashed into a lagoon off Ju Island while on a flight to Darwin. En route, fuel exhaustion forced the crew to ditch the aircraft. No casualties.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Hope

Date & Time: May 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-11638

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

134

YOM:

1941

Location:

Hope

Alaska

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On landing at Hope, in the Kenai Peninsula, a gear failed. The four engine aircraft veered off runway and came to rest. No casualties.

Probable cause:

Gear failure on landing.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder on Trobriand Islands: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

40-1426

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1426

YOM:

1940

Location:

Trobriand Islands (Kiriwina Islands)

Milne Bay

Country:

Papua New Guinea

Region:

Oceania

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While on a flight from Rabaul to New Guinea, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted to make an emergency landing on an Island located in the Trobriand archipelago. On touchdown, the aircraft went out of control, overturned and came to rest upside down. Two crew members were killed while all five other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Montreal

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

FK216

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crashed on take off after an elevator seized. Damaged beyond repair. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-33 in Ogden-Hill AFB

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-33 (DC-2)

Operator:

Registration:

36-80

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

1513

YOM:

1936

Location:

Ogden-Hill AFB

Utah

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crash landed. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7 Boston IIIA in Raversijde: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

Z2249

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

While overflying Belgium, the twin engine aircraft was hit by Flak. The captain decided to make an emergency landing and the aircraft belly landed and came to rest in flames in a prairie located in Raversijde, near Ostend. A crew member was killed while both other occupants were injured.
Crew (226th Squadron):
F/O W. A. Keech,
Sgt W. Phillips,
Sgt D. Handford. †
Source & photo: http://www.sbap.be/foreign/foreign01.htm

Probable cause:

Shot down by the Flak.

Crash of an Ilyushin DB-3 in Russia

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-4 (DB-3)

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

7905

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The left engine lost pressure and power in flight, followed 18 minutes later by the right engine. The pilot reduced his altitude and made an emergency landing in a swampy area. Both crew members escaped uninjured while the airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

Mismanagement of the fuel supply system on part of the crew.