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Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Paddy's Landing: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-203
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hughes - Millingimbi
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Hughes Airport at 0352LT bound for Millingimbi, to provide air cover for a convoy in the Arafura Sea. As the crew failed to make the dawn rendezvous, SAR mission was conducted and eventually suspended three days later as no trace of the aircraft was found. On October 8, 1946, the wreckage was found in a mangrove swamp called Paddy's Landing at Adelaide River, in the Northern Territory. All five occupants were killed.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
Colin Desmond, pilot,
Richard James,
Russell Lindsay,
Harold John,
Robert Gordon.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Pulan Luang Island

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-230
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6491
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Hughes Airfield for a reconnaissance mission of the islands in the Banda Sea. While approaching the Pulan Luang Island, the aircraft was shot down and crashed into the sea. While the aircraft sunk and was lost, all five crew members were take prisoners by the Japanese. One of them was killed by the attack of a Japanese barge while all four occupants were executed on August 16, 1944.
Crew:
S/L John Leonard Scott,
F/Sgt Robert Ian Maxwell King,
F/Sgt Bruce Erskdale Wallace,
F/Sgt Keith Charles Wright,
P/O Donald Cosmo Beddoe.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Maclean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW485
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Evans Head AFB - Evans Head AFB
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a navigation exercise. En route, the twin engine aircraft went through a cloudy area when it disintegrated in mid-air. Many debris were found on a large area and no survivors were found among the five occupants.
Crew:
Flying Officer Billie Strike-McClelland,
Flight-Sergeant Bruce Duckworth,
Robert Thomas Robertson, trainee navigator,
Patrick John Scanlan, trainee navigator,
Neville Thomas Self, trainee navigator.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident was undetermined. Nevertheless, it is supposed the crew may have suffered a spatial disorientation that affected the control of the aircraft which became uncontrollable and disintegrated when it ended up in a position that exceeded the design of the fuselage and other elements such as wings, fin, etc.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Jacquinot Bay

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-34
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cairns - Cairns
MSN:
1044
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The seaplane took off from Cairns at 1040LT and proceeded to Milne Bay and landed to refuel then took off at 1600LT on a solo nuisance mission against Kavieng. At 2300LT, it reached the target area during a bright moonlite night at an altitude of 9,000 feet. Over Panapai Airfield but did not drop any bombs and received light anti-aircraft fire. During a second bomb run, it dropped two 250 lbs bombs and numerous incendiaries and photographs were taken, and heavy anti-aircraft fire was received but not accurate. Ships in Kavieng harbor opened fire with intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire aimed at this Catalina. Over Kavieng Airfield, made a third bomb run dropping two 500 lbs bombs and photographs were taken. The flying boat received intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire that required evasive maneuvers. At approximately 2350LT on an mission to attack Kavieng, a parachute flare inside this PBY ignited prematurely while its altitude setting ring was being adjusted. In order to prevent premature detonation of other ordnance or mid-air structural failure from fire, the Catalina ditched into Jacquinot Bay. The crew swam to shore in the vicinity of Malakua. The aircraft was lost.

Source: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL off the Turtle Head Island

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1943 at 0905 LT
Operator:
Registration:
A65-3
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cooktown – Horn Island
MSN:
9012
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying along the east shore of Queensland, the left engine failed. For unknown reason, the propeller was not feathered, causing an excessive drag. In such situation, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft 1,5 km south of the Turtle Head Island. While all 14 occupants were rescued, the aircraft sank and was lost. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was carrying a load of cargo for a total of 2,740 kilos and 660 gallons of fuel. This caused the plane to be 1206 lbs (550 kg) overloaded.
Crew (36th Squadron):
F/Lt John Donellan Balfe, pilot,
Sgt Norman Properjohn,
F/Sgt T. H. Dennis.
Passengers:
P/O L. R. Ballard,
W/O P. G. Brown,
F/Lt R. S. Lovell,
Sgt R. Lucus,
ACI M. Van de Velde,
ACI E. C. Nason,
LAC C. T. Haylen,
LAC S. S. Collinson,
F/Sgt F. Potten,
Lt Fagg,
Col Collines.
Probable cause:
Overloaded, left engine failure (fuel exhaustion).

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon near Croydon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A34-25
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2014
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Townsville-Garbutt Field with radar equipment on board, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances some 15 miles south of Croydon. The wreckage was found few hours later and both crew members were killed.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Bundaberg

Date & Time: Dec 1, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW906
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bundaberg - Bundaberg
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training exercise. For unknown reason, the aircraft overshot and collided with a boundary fence. While all four crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Arafura Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-178
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Milingimbi - Milingimbi
MSN:
414-6350
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew left Milingimbi shortly after 1230LT on a shipping reconnaissance patrol. The aircraft failed to return and most probably crashed into the Arafura Sea. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
P/O J. P. Oldridge, pilot,
Sgt R. F. N. Drake-Brockman, navigator,
F/Sgt D. N. Rumble, wireless operator air gunner,
F/Sgt J. F. Cullen, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt D. J. Petch.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 in Limeburners Creek: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A34-37
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2026
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a survey flight to select sites for training exercises for paratroop battalion. While cruising at low altitude, the twin-engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into timber located 4 miles north of Limeburners Creek. Two crew members were rescued while three others were killed, among them the pilot.
Crew:
Sgt Hollingdale, pilot, †
Denzel Leslie Govett, †
Maj Smith, †
Sgt Moran,
LAC Barlow.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Pomelaa Harbour: 9 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-67
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Darwin - Darwin
MSN:
1444
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a torpedo attack on enemy ships in Pomelaa Harbour when the aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the sea. Eight crew members were killed while two others were rescued. One of the survivor died a day later.
Crew (20th Squadron):
F/O Norman Falkner Dwyer, †
F/O Ronald Frank Dickinson, †
P/O Douglas Graham McDiarmed, †
Sgt Frank Haydock Thomson, †
Sgt Thomas Stephen McMahon, †
Cpl Samuel James Carnell, †
F/Lt Jack Robert Hyde, †
Lt Palgrave Ebden Carr,
F/Lt John Malcolm Barnes, †
W/Cdr Stanley Gordon Stilling. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.