Date & Time:
Jun 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-9014
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kendari - Batchelor
MSN:
2486
YOM:
1941
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Batchelor following an evacuation flight from Kendari, Indonesia. After being hit by enemy fire, the crew elected to return to his base in Australia but while flying between Darwin and Batchelor by night, the crew encountered engine problems. The captain was forced to feather the engine number 3 while the engine number 4 failed shortly later. The captain attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft nosed down and crashed near Noonamah, north of Batchelor. Three crew members were killed while both others were injured.
Crew (19th BG):
Cpt Weldon Smith, pilot,
Lt Everett Davis, bombardier,
Sgt Glover J. Burke,
Sgt Robert French,
Sgt Bryson West.
Crew (19th BG):
Cpt Weldon Smith, pilot,
Lt Everett Davis, bombardier,
Sgt Glover J. Burke,
Sgt Robert French,
Sgt Bryson West.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
