Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Yangon

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KN615
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
16514/33262
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed 800 meters from the runway end. The aircraft was written off but there were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure shortly after rotation.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII in Bolventor: 21 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1945 at 0855 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PN305
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from RAF Tarrant Rushton to the Azores Islands with a crew of 7 and 14 passengers on board. While overflying Cornwall, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a prairie. All 21 occupants were killed.
Crew (644th Squadron):
F/Sgt Clifford William Akers,
F/O Peter Stafford Briggs,
F/Lt Jeremiah Charles Garnett,
F/Sgt William Mathias,
F/Lt Geoffrey Percival Ormesher,
AC2 Alan Ralph Titford,
F/Lt Gerald Theodore Bailey.
Passengers:
F/O Alan John Reardon,
LAC Leonard Roy Victor Cox,
AC1 Patrick Fitzgibbon,
LAC Cecil Everard Charles Hoborough,
LAC Roy William Nicholls,
Cpl Henry Phillip Mills,
LAC Selwyn Thomas,
LAC Thomas Smith Wallace,
LAC Ernest Raymond Richings,
LAC Stanley Price,
AC2 Dennis Martin,
LAC Edward Joseph Lynott,
LAC Edwin Arthur George Pettifer,
AC2 Robert Owen.
Source:
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?4604-F-S-William-Henry-Mathias-1836211-Died-14-9-45-644-Sqd
Probable cause:
Due to an electrical failure, the dingy inflation valve was activated and the dingy blew up, came out of its wing stowage and fouled the tailplane assembly, restricting the elevators. The pilot lost control and the aircraft dove into the ground. This was almost a repeat of an accident reported earlier.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV near Tiddim: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KJ902
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
14488/25933
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous region located near Tiddim, killing all eight occupants.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.61 Halifax III in Crowcombe: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1945 at 2054 LT
Operator:
Registration:
RG380
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Westonzoyland - Westonzoyland
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
In the morning, the airplane departed RAF Brawdy for a sortie but was unable to return to base due to poor weather conditions. The crew diverted to RAF Westonzoyland where it landed at 1245LT. The crew departed RAF Westonzoyland in the early afternoon for a meteorological survey mission over the Atlantic. In the evening, while returning to base, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility was limited due to fog. Also, communications between the crew and ATC seemed to be interrupted. While completing an extended circuit to land, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill located in the Quantock Hills, about 20 km west of RAF Westonzoyland. The wreckage was found about 1,5 km northeast from the village of Crowcombe. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Keith Gordon Proverbs, pilot,
F/O John Joseph Frederick Hobden, pilot,
F/Sgt Dennis Norman Everett, flight engineer,
F/O Lindsay George McMillan, navigator,
F/O Patrick Alfred Bee, wireless operator,
W/O Roy Donald Cartwright, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Robert William Vinton, wireless operator,
Sgt John Macilrick Bryce Gordon, meteorologist,
Sgt Louis Grimble Groves, meteorologist.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Nyaung Gone: 41 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KN593
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
16482/33230
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
37
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
41
Captain / Total flying hours:
2000
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Hmwabi Airbase, while climbing, the aircraft flew through cumulonimbus, went out of control and crashed in a field. All 41 occupants, among them 37 wounded soldiers transferred back home after being released by Japanese troops, were killed.
Crew (117 Squadron):
W/Cdr Arthur James Samson,
F/Sgt Kenneth Harold Goad,
F/Lt Bernard Bridge,
F/Sgt Derek Batsman,
F/Lt James Forties Cuthbert,
F/O Thomas Watkin Humphrys,
F/O John Dundee Lorimer,
F/Sgt Bruce Ellis,
S/Ldr Robert Philip Brent Grotrian,
Maj John Cooper Scott,
Cpl Herman Robert Francis Ablitt,
Sgt Ernest Albert Arthur,
James Bellingat Bryce,
George Kenneth Chadwick,
Sgt Harry Cotterill,
John James Crawford,
Fred Dawes,
Sgt Manley Ernest De Roux,
Pvt Horace Edward,
Sgt Ernest Joseph Edwards,
Pvt James Ferrow,
Pvt Ronald Gordon Victor Gadd,
Sgt Robert Henry Hawthorn,
Norman Frank Hendy,
Fred Highley,
Bernard Owen Edward Huggett,
Pvt Lawrence Jeeps,
Sgt Alan Ross Knight,
Ronald Cecil Lewis,
Pvt George Edward Marskell,
Ronald Murfin,
John David Payne,
John Dinder Pears,
Marshall Price,
Sgt Horatio George Rardford,
William Joseph Randell,
Leslie Frederick Noel Roy,
Samad Bin Panjar,
Pvt Andrew Skeldon,
Sgt Vernon Thomas,
Cpl Francis John Warren.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Mewaing: 16 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KN584
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Yangon – Taungoo – Calcutta
MSN:
16469/33217
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
About an hour after his departure from Yangon Airport, bound for Calcutta via Taungoo, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls and thunderstorm activity from the monsoon. The aircraft was maybe hit by lightning, went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded and mountainous area located near Mewaing, northeast of Yangon. The wreckage was found few days later and all 16 occupants, four crew, seven army passengers and five Royal Air Force personnel, were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Duyinzeik: 26 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1945 at 0640 LT
Operator:
Registration:
KK118
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hmwabi – Bangkok
MSN:
15126/26571
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Hmwabi Air base located north of Yangon at 0606LT bound for Bangkok. About 34 minutes later, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Duyinzeik, in a zone controlled by the Japanese forces. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 26 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Istres: 17 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KP235
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
16772/33520
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a mission to the Middle East and the takeoff run was completed by night and poor weather conditions. At liftoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed. All four crew members and 13 passengers were killed while seven others were seriously injured.
Crew (78th Squadron):
F/O Guy Wilberforce Venables,
F/O Arthur Ernest Venables,
F/O John Edward Dickson,
F/Sgt Eric Frank Dean.
Passengers:
Cpl Headley Brightmore Archer,
LAC Robert Bell,
LAC David Briddock,
LAC Walter James Chaimberlain,
Cpl George Eric Coldwell,
LAC Ronald Fulstone Elliott,
LAC Victor Robert Haddock,
LAC Alfred Edgar Hamshere,
LAC George Brice Jones,
LAC John Ivor Morgan,
LAC Ronald Richards,
LAC Edmund Stuart,
Cpl Joseph Hutchinson.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Vaison-la-Romaine: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KJ974
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
14965/26410
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Captain / Total flying hours:
8000
Circumstances:
Twenty minutes after his departure from Marseille, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with severe turbulence. At an altitude of 600 feet, the aircraft went out of control, broke up in the air, dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All 14 occupants were killed.
Crew (24th Squadron):
Lt A. J. Daniels, pilot,
Piet William Ree, copilot,
F/O Leonard Montague Francom, wireless operator,
F/O Harold Oliver Young, navigator.
Passengers:
F/Lt Robert Thomas Gibson,
Cpl Richard Bennett,
Seaman Cafful,
W/O Reginald Champion,
P/O Phillis Ann Collett,
F/O William John Henry Henley,
J. W. Jenkins Lecturer,
Sgt John James Kennedy,
Eileen Mary Stallworthy,
Arthur Wallace.
Probable cause:
The pilot, who was very experienced with more than 8000 flying hours, disobeyed his briefing instructions and elected to take off in very bad weather.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in RAF Melbourne

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KN548
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
16408/33156
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing hit the runway surface and the aircraft slid for several yards prior to stop in flames. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Gear collapse on landing.