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Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Pigeon House: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW799
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the southeast slope of Mt Pigeon House located 10 miles west of Ulladulla. All three crew members were killed.
Crew (73rd Squadron):
F/Sgt C. D. Robertson, pilot,
F/Sgt K. A. Richards,
F/Sgt B. V. Higgins.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Tanimbar Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-233
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
414-6483
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a maritime patrol flight off Indonesia on behalf of the 2nd Squadron. En route, while attacking the Japanese ship christened 'Sugi Maru', the twin engine aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea some 20 miles north of the Tanimbar Island. Three crew were killed instantly while two others were rescued and taken PoW. Both were executed on October 31.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/Lt L. A. Martin, †
F/O Marcus C. Wettenhall, †
F/Sgt N. A. Graham,
F/O M. H. Williams, †
F/Sgt William Robinson Boanas.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fire.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Townsville: 13 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1943 at 1648 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-52
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Townsville - Townsville
MSN:
1259
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The seaplane, carrying 10 crew and 9 passengers, crashed when landing after returning from Merauke and Karumba. After touching down the aircraft traveled a short distance when it struck a large wave and sank by the bow. A film that captured the incident disclosed that after the aircraft sank by the bow one or both anti-submarine depth charges exploded.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt Charles John Miles, pilot, †
F/Lt William John Canterbury, pilot, †
F/O Ronald Irvine Ferguson, pilot, †
F/O Gordon John Robert Hockey, navigator, †
F/O Reginald Albert Weeks, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Bernard Victor McInerney, wireless operator, †
Cpl William Richard George Lobb, fitter,
Sgt Maxwell Burnett Dore, flight engineer,
Cpl Ronald Colin Smith, fitter,
Cpl Albert Leslie Fowler, armourer.
Passengers:
S/L Leo Mathew Hogan, †
F/O Charles Harry Ratcliffe, †
S/L John Vernon Angus, †
F/Lt Frank Haighton Lord, †
F/Lt William Archie Wilkinson, †
P/O Beresford Frederick Shearman, †
Cdr Arthur Henry Cobby,
W/Cdr Bruce Panton MacFarlan,
W/Cdr Willem Lodewyk Boscchart Stephens.
Source:
http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/
http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld190.htm

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Bowen: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1943 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-24
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bowen - Bowen
MSN:
380
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The seaplane took off from Bowen on an air to sea gunnery training exercise. At the conclusion of firing practice, the aircraft was making a run across the wave tops over a choppy sea and it is assumed that the port wing hit the water and the aircraft crashed into the sea and sank approximately 5 miles east of Bowen. Two crew members survived while 14 other occupants were killed.
Crew (20th Squadron):
F/O Peter Keene, pilot, †
F/O Stanley John Porteous, copilot, †
Sgt Robin Fowler, flight engineer,
Sgt Raymond Charles Ciglander, navigator, †
Sgt Harold Stuart William Thomas, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Leslie George Dalgleish, fitter, †
LAC Ainslie Ivor Dent, fitter, †
AC1 Cyril Leslie Edwards, armourer.
Passengers:
Sgt Lloyd George Fiske,
S/Sgt Leslie Harry Harrison,
Sgt Robert Ronald Harrison,
Pvt Douglas McLaine,
Pvt Irvine George Osborne,
Cpt Lawrence Edward Tansey,
Pvt Kenneth Reginald Walker,
Cpt Donald Charles Whitfeld.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Arafura Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-181
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Milingimbi - Milingimbi
MSN:
414-6353
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a maritime patrol flight over the sea of Arafura. In flight, twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea, killing all four crew members.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
Sgt Lamb, pilot,
Sgt Ikin, navigator,
Sgt N. McLean, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt M. Jackson, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Coffs Harbour

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W2638
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While completing a training sortie, the pilot became lost. Due to fuel exhaustion, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing on a beach located in Coffs Harbour. While all four crew members were rescued, the aircraft was lost. The accident occurred after a flight of almost 6 ½ hours, two hours beyond the accepted endurance.
Crew:
F/O James M. Swann, pilot,
A. H. Morton, wireless operator and air gunner 2.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA on Mt Kekneno: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-195
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
414-6459
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a bombing mission to Penfoei with a crew of five. En route, while cruising jointly with three other similar aircrafts, crew was informed that weather was deteriorating at destination. As all three other aircraft's crew decided to return to their departure point, captain of A16-195 decided to continue. Few minutes later, while cruising in low visibility due to poor weather conditions, aircraft hit mount Kekneno located some 100 km northeast of Kupang and was destroyed on impact. Debris were found some days later and all five crew were killed.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
S/L C. C. Williams, pilot,
F/O R. C. Lindsay, air gunner,
F/O W. A. Hepworth, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Lt A. M. Fowler, navigator,
F/Sgt D. C. Farmer.
Probable cause:
The pilot decided to continue the flight despite poor weather conditions and low visibility (below minima).

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I into Bass Strait: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-32
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sale - Sale
MSN:
414-1883
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off at 1944LT to carry out practice DR9. This practice was a night flight from Base-Flinders-Currie-Hogan Group-Base. The aircraft was on wireless silence and failed to return. The maximum endurance of the aircraft was 7 hours. The aircraft failed to return and all searches have proved negative.
Crew:
P/O John James Bowman, pilot,
P/O Alan Joseph Malone, navigator,
P/O Harry Robert Alfred Guymer, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O Alexander Frederick McDonald, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O John Alexander Buchanan, air gunner.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in Saint-Brieuc: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AE937
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Methwold - Methwold
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Methwold at 0735LT to bomb a viaduct located near Saint-Brieuc. While approaching the French coast, the mission was cancelled due to low visibility caused by clouds. At this time, the Ventura was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (464th Squadron):
W/O N. A. P. Kane-Maguire, pilot,
F/Sgt J. Lawson, navigator,
F/Sgt E. W. Goodheart, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt A. J. Galley, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Hughes: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-186
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hughes - Hughes
MSN:
414-6342
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
2104
Circumstances:
The aircraft was at 500 feet with gear extended over the threshold of strip with the port airscrew feathered due to engine problems. The pilot raised the undercarriage and applied power to starboard engine, but the aircraft pulled to port and begun to loose height and crashed one mile north east of Hughes Strip. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact and ensuing fire.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/Lt J. F. Mason,
F/Lt J. R. Wood,
F/O T. W. Swann,
F/Sgt R. J. Flaherty,
F/Sgt R. D. Woods,
Sgt G. R. Rowland,
F/O G. L. Knauer.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/
Probable cause:
Engine failure.