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Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Parkes

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1942 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A30-7
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Parkes - Parkes
MSN:
1290
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a circular training flight that was consisting of touch and go manoeuvre. After an umpteenth take off, while climbing at a height of 200 feet, the aircraft went out of control, hit a fence and crashed near the runway. All eleven occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
P/O C. R. N. Lewis, pilot,
Lt N. C. P. Blight, pilot,
F/O H. R. I. Cox.
Passengers:
SGT W. C. Arthur,
Cpl I. B. Sharpe,
Cpl N. H. Harris,
LAC E. T. Ryan,
AC1 M. Gilday,
AC1 E. R. McPhee,
AC1 D. J. Slatter,
AC1 J. J. O’Donnell.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I near Sale: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1942 at 2005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-39
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bairnsdale - Bairnsdale
MSN:
414-1890
YOM:
1940
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total hours on type:
102.00
Circumstances:
The crew left Bairnsdale Airfield in the afternoon with two others RAAF Lockheed Hudson on a reconnaissance mission. At 1614LT, ground instructed all crew to return to the airbase due to the deterioration of the weather conditions. The crew of A16-39 followed another route for undetermined reason. Both other Hudson landed without further incident while A16-39 crashed 500 yards from a private house located in Longpoint, near Sale. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (7th Squadron):
S/L James W. McGilvray, pilot,
Sgt M. J. Gawith, observer,
Sgt F. R. Walton, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt E. W. Bayley, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
The right engine failed in flight following unknown mechanical problems.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IVA in Timor: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-108
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hughes - Hughes
MSN:
414-6037
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Following a strafing ground positions mission over Timor, while cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft collided with another RAAF unidentified Lockheed L-414 Hudson. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all four crew members.
Crew (13th Squadron):
P/O Donald George Campbell, pilot,
P/O Robert Lester Gill,
Sgt Samuel Lindsay Inglis,
Sgt Lance Radford Kealley.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Bargara: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1942 at 1142 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW902
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bundaberg - Bundaberg
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While on a training mission from Bundaberg, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea 1,5 mile off Bargara, Queensland. The aircraft sunk in 32 feet of water and all three crew members were killed.
Crew (8th SFTS):
F/Sgt Ronald Campbell Davies, pilot,
LAC Walter James Regan,
LAC Clifford James Lucas.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Beverley Islands: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-190
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mackay - Mackay
MSN:
414-6346
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 training flight over the Northumberland Islands. En route, in unknown circumstances, the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea off the Beverley Islands. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (32nd Squadron):
F/Lt Arthur E. Adams,
P/O John D. Power,
Sgt Brian Bright 1.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA near Giru: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-194
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Giru - Giru
MSN:
414-6359
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a combined training exercise with a second RAAF Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA registered A16-191 and carrying a crew of four as well. While cruising in the vicinity of Giru, both aircraft collided in unclear circumstances. The A16-191 crashed in a dense mangrove and all four crew members were killed. The pilot of A16-194 was able to complete an emergency landing between Barrattas and Barramundi Creek. While the aircraft was destroyed, three crew members were injured while the fourth occupant was killed.
Crew (32nd Squadron):
P/O L. Haliday, pilot 2,
Sgt Lancel Badman. †

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA near Giru: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-191
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Giru - Giru
MSN:
414-6356
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a combined training exercise with a second RAAF Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA registered A16-194 and carrying a crew of four as well. While cruising in the vicinity of Giru, both aircraft collided in unclear circumstances. The A16-191 crashed in a dense mangrove and all four crew members were killed. The pilot of A16-194 was able to complete an emergency landing between Barrattas and Barramundi Creek. While the aircraft was destroyed, three crew members were injured while the fourth occupant was killed.
Crew (32nd Squadron):
Sgt M. W. Cooper, pilot,
Sgt H. T. Gillam, copilot,
Sgt J. A. Herman, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O John L. Jewell, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson II near Ambone: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-65
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ambon - Darwin
MSN:
414-1918
YOM:
1940
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Ambon Airport, the twin engine airplane was attacked by the pilots of two Japanese Air Force Mitsubishi Zero. With one engine on fire, the captain ordered his crew to bail out but only two were able to abandon the aircraft. Two others were killed when the airplane crashed, bursting into flames. Both crew who survived became PoW and were executed on November 22, 1942. Crew from the 2nd Squadron.
Probable cause:
Shot down by two Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Tugan LJW7 Gannet in the Arnhem Land

Date & Time: May 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A14-6
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Batchelor – Groote Eylandt
MSN:
TA-55
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Batchelor on an ambulance flight to Groote Eylandt, carrying one nurse and two crew members. While cruising over Arnhem Land, the crew became lost. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when it crashed in a swampy area and came to rest upside down. All three occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. After 10 days in an hostile environment, the three survivors built make-shift raft from aircraft parts and set off drifting down the Cato River. After several days they were located by Aborigines who took them to Elcho Island Mission then on to the RAAF Station on Millingimbi Island, where they arrived 33 days after the crash.
Crew:
F/Sgt Francis Smallhorn, pilot,
AC1 George Booth, radio operator.
Passenger:
Cpl Phillip Bronk, nurse.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Ambone: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1942 at 0515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-196
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-6461
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was attacking a Japanese ship cruising off Ambone. The ship ended in a huge explosion when the Hudson was hit by debris. Out of control, it crashed into the sea and was lost. Three crew members were killed instantly while the fourth occupant died later.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
P/O John Hester Venn,
Sgt W. J. James,
Sgt B. A. Kilpatrick,
Sgt L. A. Omsby.
Probable cause:
Hit by debris after ship bombing.