Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-20-CF Liberator in Freckleton: 61 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1944 at 1047 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-50291
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Warton - Warton
MSN:
722
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
61
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a circular test flight at RAF Warton after the plane had been refurbished. Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the approach to runway 08 and received the authorization to land. At that time, weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds down to 120 meters above ground, heavy rain falls and winds gusting up to 25 knots. From a height of dozen feet, the aircraft went out of control, banked left and came with wings near vertical before crashing in a huge explosion in the center of the village of Freckleton. The aircraft hit several houses, a school and a cafe as well. All three crew members were killed and 58 others on the ground: 38 children and two teachers in the school, and 18 people in the cafe: seven US officers, four British officers and seven civilians. To date, this was considered as the worst air disaster in the world.
Crew:
1st Lt John A. Bloemendal, pilot,
T/Sgt James M. Parr, copilot,
Sgt Gordon W. Kinney, flight engineer.
More info on http://laituk.org/B-24 42-50291.htm
Probable cause:
The official report stated that the exact cause of the crash could not be determined. However, it was concluded that the pilot had not fully realized the danger the storm posed until underway in his final approach, by which time he had insufficient altitude and speed to maneuver, given the probable strength of wind and downdrafts that must have prevailed. A structural failure of the aircraft in the extreme conditions was not ruled out, although the complete destruction of the airframe had precluded any meaningful investigation. Noting that many of the pilots coming to the UK commonly believed that British storms were little more than showers, the report recommended that all US trained pilots should be emphatically warned of the dangers of British thunderstorms.

Crash of a Beechcraft UC-45B Expeditor in Grand Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
43-35582
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
6044
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at Grand Island Airport, killing all five crew members. The crew was involved in a control flight, prior to delivery to the RAF.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Plessetsk: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1848703
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while making a test flight near the Obozerski Airport, in the region of Plessetsk, some 200 km south of Arkhangelsk. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Yanakie: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW667
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a tests flight on this twin engine aircraft that encountered technical problems previously. En route, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in Yanakie, south of Victoria. All three crew members were killed.
Crew (67th Squadron):
F/Sgt David Guise Shanks, pilot,
LAC John Joseph Griffin
AC1 Ronald Oswald Rathke.

Crash of a Budd RB-1 Conestoga near Patuxent River NAS: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NX37097
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Patuxent River - Patuxent River
MSN:
002
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
14
Aircraft flight cycles:
12
Circumstances:
The crew consisted of pilots and engineers who were performing an evaluation flight for the a Naval Air Training Command (NATC). In flight, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed near the airfield. A crew member was killed while all seven other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Short S.22 Scion Senior off Helensburgh: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
L9786
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Helensburgh - Helensburgh
MSN:
S.836
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a test flight. Take off procedure was attempted in frosty conditions from the Clyde River, off Helensburgh. During initial climb, the four engine aircraft stalled, crashed and sunk. Two crew members were rescued while the test pilot H. G. White was killed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-110-CO Liberator near Charley River: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-40910
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fort Wainwright - Fort Wainwright
MSN:
1987
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Involved in a test flight (propeller test following maintenance), the aircraft was carrying a crew of five. In the morning, the crew left Ladd AAF located in Fort Wainwright, east of Fairbanks. At around 1100LT, the crew overflew Big Delta and maintained an altitude of 23,000 feet. While cruising in clouds, the number one engine failed. Shortly later, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that entered a spin. During the descent, the captain ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft but only two occupants managed to bail out. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and eventually crashed in a huge explosion near the Charley River. By an outside temperature of -51° C, one of both crew that bailed out landed in a thick layer of snow and tried to find his colleague but without success. For six days, SAR operations cleaned out a large area but did not found any trace of the aircraft nor the five occupants. In extreme cold and appalling conditions, the First Lieutenant Leon Crane made 84 days before returning to civilization and eventually be transferred to his base. All rest of the crew did not survive the accident.
Crew:
2nd Lt Harold E. Hoskin, †
M/Sgt Richard L. Pompeo, †
1st Lt James B. Sibert, †
1st Lt Leon Crane,
S/Sgt Ralph S. Wenz. †
Probable cause:
According to officials, the loss of control was caused by the failure of a Pitot tube while the elevators jammed during the descent, making it impossible to continue the flight in safe conditions.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DL in Fort Benning AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1943 at 1030 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-19494
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fort Benning - Fort Benning
MSN:
6137
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The left engine has been changed and the crew was completing a test flight following maintenance. The aircraft left Fort Benning AFB at 0946LT for a control flight. While cruising at a height of 3,500 feet, the crew encountered technical problems with the right engine that was over speeding. The captain decided to shut down the right engine and to feather the propeller but this was not possible, causing a high drag. He attempted to return to the base and informed ground of the when, on approach, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located 5 miles from runway 32 threshold. Two crew members were injured while the third occupant, 2nd Lt Robert A. Duclos, was killed.
Probable cause:
Right engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas XC-47C-DL into the Jamaica Bay

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-5671
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Floyd Bennett Field - Floyd Bennett Field
MSN:
7365
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Floyd Bennett Field in NY, while in initial climb, the float equipped aircraft stalled and crashed into the Jamaica Bay. The crew who survived was attempting a test flight when the accident occurred in unclear circumstances.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota III in Regent's Park: 9 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FD899
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
9621
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing an air test when the Dakota collided with two balloon cables, one of which completely severed 15 feet of the port main plane. The aircraft crashed at the Bernhard Baron Pavilllion, Regent's Park, London, and was destroyed by fire. There were no survivors among the nine crew members.
Crew:
F/O James Allan Robertson, pilot,
F/O Theodore Myroslaw Hawryluk, copilot,
F/Sgt Henry Edgar Dennis, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC1 Ronald Eric Penn, flight engineer,
AC1 Hugh Richard Phillips, flight engineer,
AC2 Kenneth Thomas Ding,
AC2 Dudley Austin Westcott,
AC2 Ronald Douglas Brown,
LAC Jack Leonard Houghton.
Source:
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?9450-512-Sqn-Dakota-FD899-6-10-1943
Probable cause:
In flight collision with two balloon cables.