Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

At 1430LT on 2nd January 1947 an SB-17 belonging to 1386th AAF Base Unit Air Sea Rescue took off from Keflavik airfield, Iceland on a local flight expected to last 2 to 3 hours, however approx 1 hour after leaving the field a snow storm developed and the crew now on instruments and were given instructions by ATC to fly to Prestwick as the visibility at Keflavik was too bad, and so a flight plan was arranged and radioed to the pilot. Expecting this to be just a local flight, the navigator was without proper charts, they had no Wireless Op on board, and little fuel for any marginal error. Drift readings were taken and bearings using the astro compass and radio compass were taken, though stronger than forecast headwinds slowed the aircraft down and it took much longer to reach their turning over Scotland, also heavy cloud hindered any visual contact, but eventually an island, that of Shetland was spotted and it was estimated that they should reach the Scottish mainland within 30 minutes, however, as they continued past their ETA, no land was sited and the Navigator suggested they do a 180 degree turn and head back to the Island, this they did and back over Shetland at approx midnight, they flew a few miles off shore, jettisoned the lifeboat, circled a number of times firing off flares, then with an estimated guess of less than an hours fuel left,the pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft, then putting it on a SW course on autopilot, he left the aircraft himself. Three of the crew landed on the Shetland mainland itself, one came down on a tiny island in Braewick Voe, and another landed in the sea and struggled to unhitch his chute, but fortunately the wind blew him towards the shore. After a long night with the Co-Pilot suffering a sprained knee, and the Pilot suffering exposure, all were eventually found and taken to hospital where they were given hot drinks and blankets, and treated for their injuries. The Fortress went down in the sea somewhere to the West of the Shetland mainland at a location yet to be discovered. Maybe one day a fishing boat will pull up a piece of wreckage identified as coming off a Flying Fortress and the last resting place of 44-83771 will be known.
Crew (1386 BU):
1/Lt W. E. Dee, pilot,
1/Lt M. H. Craven Jr., copilot,
1/Lt W. L. Pilcher, navigator,
H. E. Shields, flight engineer,
R. M. Gessert, flight engineer.
Source: http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=99049

While landing off Wundi Island, the seaplane hit a reef and sank. There were no casualties but the aircraft was lost.

Water-looped on landing, hit a reef and sank. There were no casualties.

The crew was engaged in a survey mission following the recent disappearance of a US military plane in the region of the Coiba Island. For such operation, three USAAF B-17 were dispatched with 7 pax and 3 crew per aircraft. Enroute, while cruising at an estimated height of 75 meters, 44-85626 hit with its right wing the empennage of 44-85624. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea, about 30 km north of Coiba Island. All 20 occupants on both aircraft were killed.

The crew was engaged in a survey mission following the recent disappearance of a US military plane in the region of the Coiba Island. For such operation, three USAAF B-17 were dispatched with 7 pax and 3 crew per aircraft. Enroute, while cruising at an estimated height of 75 meters, 44-85626 hit with its right wing the empennage of 44-85624. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea, about 30 km north of Coiba Island. All 20 occupants on both aircraft were killed.

The crew was completing a reconnaissance flight following the recent lost of a RAF Wellington registered LP764. While flying over the Irish Sea at a very low altitude, the twin engine aircraft hit the mast of a boat and crashed into the sea. The aircraft sank rapidly and was lost. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (5th ANS):
John Thomas Marcham Crow 4.

The crew left Banana River NAS at 1927LT on a SAR mission, looking for five TBM Avenger that did not return to their base. Three minutes after departure, the contact was already lost. Twenty minutes later, while cruising at low height, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion into the Sargasso Sea, about 30 miles off New Smyrna, Bahamas. On site, the rescuers did not find any survivors among the 13 occupants.

Enroute, both engines failed and the aircraft crashed into the Bristol Channel, off Swansea. A crew member was rescued by the crew of a boat while both other occupants were killed.
Crew (16th Flying Unit):
W/O Francis George Ford, †
W/O Paul William Lamy Hutchinson, †
W/O L. A. W Bell.

The crew left RAF Thornaby at 0200LT on a SAR mission, looking for another RAF Lancaster that disappeared the preceding evening. The following morning, the aircraft failed to return to its base and other SAR operations were conducted, without success. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It was lost without trace.
Crew (279th Squadron):
F/Sgt D. Anderson,
F/Sgt C. E. F. Blake,
F/Sgt E. E. W. King,
Sgt D. C. Maclean,
F/Sgt S. H. Mortimer,
F/O K. F. Parmenter,
W/O K. W. Robinson,
F/Sgt R. W. Vickers.

Shortly after takeoff from Chimu Wan NAS, while climbing, the Mariner collided with a USAAF Grumman J2F Duck and crashed into the Bay. All 12 crew members were killed.