Date & Time:
Aug 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-2434
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cairns - Cairns
MSN:
2245
YOM:
1941
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
11
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a test flight to control a new flare dropping mechanism. En route, a failure occurred on the mechanism, causing a flare to explode inside the cabin. Out of control, the aircraft crashed into the sea a mile off Cairns. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew (19th BG):
Maj Dean C. Hoevet, pilot,
Sgt Coy Adams,
T/Sgt Stephen A. Androkovich,
2nd Lt William T. Chesser,
1st Lt Paul M. Lindsay,
T/Sgt Hermon T. Randall,
2nd Lt Arthur F. Sorrell,
2nd Lt Maxwell D. Stone,
1st Lt George W. Hammersmith,
S/Sgt Bernard Merker,
T/Sgt Ralph Tarod.
Crew (19th BG):
Maj Dean C. Hoevet, pilot,
Sgt Coy Adams,
T/Sgt Stephen A. Androkovich,
2nd Lt William T. Chesser,
1st Lt Paul M. Lindsay,
T/Sgt Hermon T. Randall,
2nd Lt Arthur F. Sorrell,
2nd Lt Maxwell D. Stone,
1st Lt George W. Hammersmith,
S/Sgt Bernard Merker,
T/Sgt Ralph Tarod.
Probable cause:
Failure of the flare dropping mechanism.
