Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Crashed into the sea of Timor while on a flight from Darwin to Kupang. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/Lt Roger Joseph Blanchard, pilot,
Sgt Oberlin Benjamin Plester Gray, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt David Jacobs,
Sgt David Vynne Woods.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg4e in Reipå: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

P4+HH

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Trondheim – Pechenga

MSN:

6804

YOM:

1940

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Circumstances:

The three engine aircraft was completing a flight from Trondheim to Pechenga, in the Murmansk oblast. En route, while cruising in foggy conditions, the aircraft hit the wooded slope of Mt Breitind located near Reipå, some 50 km southwest of Bodø. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 16 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Fw Willi Habekost,
Uffz Werner Grünwald,
Uffz Leonhard Voss,
Uffz Rudolf Bollemann.
Passengers:
Bernhard Almeroth,
Friedrich Klingenfuss,
Uffz Johannes Schleucher,
Uffz Erich Dumberg,
Ogfr Peter Hochstätter,
Ogfr Konrad Hutzler,
Ogfr Manfred Hähnel,
Ogfr Otto Nebgen,
Ogfr Friedrich Pröhl,
Gefr Johann Plaotz,
Gefr Wilhelm Gocke,
Ofw Emil Smolka.
Sources & photo: http://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/breitind.html

Crash of a Lockheed 14-WF62 Super Electra near Pine Creek: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942 at 2130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 14 Super Electra

Operator:

Registration:

VH-ADY

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Brisbane – Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor – Darwin

MSN:

1498

YOM:

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Circumstances:

On the last leg to Darwin, the crew lost his orientation while cruising in rain falls and night. Due to poor visibility, the crew was unable to locate the airport of Darwin and continued over the sea. Few minutes later, pilots realized they were flying over the sea and returned to the continent but could not see the city of Darwin nor its airport. Crew informed ATC he was low of fuel and wanted to land shortly but eventually, the twin engine aircraft hit a mountain slope near Annaburroo Station, in the region of Pine Creek. Rescuers did not find any trace of the aircraft and all operations were suspended few days later. Eventually, the wreckage and all 12 dead bodies were found on June 30, 1942, in an isolated area. The occupants were two pilots and ten US soldiers. The aircraft was built in May 1939 and delivered to Guinea Airways on June 9, 1940.

Probable cause:

Crew lost his orientation due to the failure of both radio compass while flying by night in poor weather conditions (rain falls). Due to low visibility, the crew was unable to establish his real position and to locate the Darwin's Airfield.

Crash of a Polikarpov PR-5 near Yelets: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov PR-5

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3339

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Moscow - Yelets

MSN:

226

YOM:

1940

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Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances while on a flight from Moscow-Myachkovo and Yelets. Lost without trace.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP near Slavyanoserbsk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-A3166

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Rubizhnaya - Rostov-on-Don

MSN:

14419

YOM:

1939

Location:

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Aircraft flight hours:

1396

Circumstances:

En route from Rubizhnaya to Rostov, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and caught fire. Out of control, it descended to the ground and crashed near Slavyanoserbsk. All three occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Townsville: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

40-1473

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

1473

YOM:

1940

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Crashed on take off from Garbutt AFB, near Townsville. The crew was en route to Papua New Guinea. All eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder off Palm Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

40-1419

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Port Moresby – Townsville

MSN:

1419

YOM:

1940

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Circumstances:

En route, while flying along the northeast Australian coast, the crew encountered unknown technical problems and the captain attempted to ditch the aircraft off Palm Island. The twin engine aircraft contacted the water and sunk quickly, causing seven crew members to be killed.

Probable cause:

Technical problems.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Kreuth: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1942 at 2358 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

V9976

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

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While cruising by night at an altitude of 1,800 meters over the German Alps, the bomber hit the slope of a mountain located in the Blue Mountains, near Kreuth. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (138th Squadron):
W/C W. R. Farley,
F/O J. A. Pulton,
Sgt Bronislaw Karbowski,
Sgt Czeslaw Madracki,
Cpt Antoni Voellnagel,
Sgt Leon Wilmanski,
Sgt Mieczyslaw Wojciechowski,
Cpt Ryszard Zygmuntowicz.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide near Dalmellington

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1942

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Operator:

Registration:

BD143

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

6344

YOM:

1936

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Circumstances:

En route, an engine failed, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. While approaching a field located in Breston Farm, near Dalmellington, the aircraft hit the ground so violently that the tail was sheared off. The aircraft came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while all eight occupants escaped slightly injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.