Crash of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator in Palm City

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated LB-30 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
AL575
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
073
YOM:
1941
Location:
Palm City
California
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:
Following a fuel exhaustion in flight, the crew abandoned the airplane that crashed in Palm City. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
Arthur J. Walker.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in New Hyde Park: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1942 at 0700 LT
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
40-2199
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
MSN:
62A-2868
YOM:
1940
Location:
New Hyde Park
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Mitchell AFB, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a sand pit surrounded by houses in the center of the district of New Hyde Park. All five crew members were killed and there were no other victims on the ground.
Crew:
2nd Lt Charles W. Van Eeuwen, pilot,
Pfc Joseph W. Gallick,
Pfc Edwin A. Onufrowicz,
2nd Lt James J. Orr,
Avc Earl W. Ray.

Crash of a Vickers 290 Wellington I in Edwinstowe

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 290 Wellington I
Operator:
Registration:
L4212
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Edwinstowe
Nottinghamshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew encountered poor weather conditions and attempted an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in an open field located in Edwinstowe and was damaged beyond repair. All occupants escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Focke-Wulf Fw.58 Weihe near Merkutschewa: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Focke-Wulf Fw.58 Weihe
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2184
Location:
Merkutschewa
All Russia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was probably on a transit flight when it crashed 3 km south of Merkutschewa. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Bernhard Sereiske, pilot,
Lt Siegfried Wikesek, observer,
Fw Walter Kuhn, radio operator,
Uffz Johann Bauhuber, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to icing.

Crash of a Polikarpov SP in Tsymlyanskaya: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-K287
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tsymlyanskaya - Rostov
Location:
Tsymlyanskaya
Rostov oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Tsymlyanskaya Airfield, en route to Rostov, the airplane climbed to a height of about 20-30 metres. The pilot initiated a turn to the left when the airplane stalled, collided with a fence an crashed. Both occupants were seriously injured and the pilot died six days later from injuries sustained.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas B-18 Bolo at Waller AFB

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas B-18 Bolo
Operator:
Registration:
37-31
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1892
YOM:
1937
Location:
Waller AFB
All Trinidad and Tobago
Country:
Trinidad and Tobago
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances after takeoff from Waller AFB and came to rest one mile west from the runway. Crew fate unknown.
Crew:
Leland W. Johnson.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Gibraltar: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7294
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Gibraltar - Luqa
Location:
Gibraltar
All United Kingdom
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Gibraltar on a ferry flight to Luqa. Shortly after takeoff, one of the engine failed. The crew decided to return for an emergency landing but on final approach, the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
P/O Andrew Thomas Lawson-Tancred, pilot,
Sgt D. R. McKinnon, observer,
Sgt Robert Sangster, wireless operator. †
Passenger:
Cpl William Harry Wallett. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff. It is believed that on approach, the crew mistakenly raised the landing gear and mispositioned the flaps.

Crash of a Polikarpov S-3 in Russia: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-K2729
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow - Odoevo
MSN:
13046
YOM:
1938
Location:
Russia
All Russia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Moscow on a flight to Odoevo but failed to arrive at destination. Lost without trace.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-3 in Veulen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1941 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Registration:
V4+NW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Soesterberg - Münster
MSN:
5435
Location:
Veulen
Limburg
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a transit flight to Münster-Handorf Airport, the crew encountered icing conditions when the airplane went out of control and crashed in Veulen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt J. Stürzer, pilot,
Ogfr H. Strodl, bomb aimer,
Gfr E. Günther, radio operator,
Ogfr H. Kadner, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 in Velen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Registration:
V4+??
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Soesterberg - Münster
MSN:
2735
Location:
Velen
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a transit flight to Münster-Handorf Airport, the crew encountered icing conditions when the airplane went out of control and crashed in Velen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Günter Vahl, pilot,
Uffz Günter Öchsle, bomb aimer,
Gefr Karl-Heinz Rossick, radio operator,
Gefr Fritz Neu, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Icing.
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