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Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III into the Norwegian Sea: 12 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1944 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DV990
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While performing a maritime patrol flight, the seaplane was shot down by the German submarine U-921 and crashed into the Norwegian Sea, some 240 km west of Kristiansund. All 12 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German submarine.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Port Hardy: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
FZ576
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Victoria - Port Hardy
MSN:
12111
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was conducting a training exercise from Victoria-Patricia Bay on behalf of the 32th OTU. On approach to Port Hardy, weather conditions were poor with a low visibility and the pilot was unable to localize the airport. The crew followed a circuit over the region but was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion. The aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area near Port Hardy. Two crew were killed while the third occupant was injured.
Crew (32th OTU):
P/O J. M. Talbot, †
P/O T. S. Wordlow, †
Sgt T. R. Moss.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E-BO Flying Fortress in Prestwick: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
9207
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2392
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a mail flight from Prestwick to Canada with the RCAF courier on board. Shortly after take off, the aircraft went into a steep climb, stalled and crashed at full power. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and all five occupants from the 168th Squadron were killed.
Probable cause:
No official cause of crash was found. Nevertheless, some reports theorized that cargo shifted shortly after rotation, causing the aircraft stall and crash. The aircraft did not have final version of RCAF developed mail restraints installed.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax III near Kleingeschaidt: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1944 at 0100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
LW429
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tholthorpe - Tholthorpe
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The bomber christened 'Sweet Adeline' left RAF Tholthorpe in the evening bound for Nuremberg as its target. While approaching the city from the north, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in a prairie located between the villages of Kleingeschaidt and Tauchersreuth, some 10 km north of Nuremberg. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew (425th Squadron):
F/O J. Taylor,
Sgt P. Furlong,
F/O G. Munro,
P/O F. Majchrowicz,
P/O J. Sheahan,
P/O A. De Witt,
F/Sgt P. Mitchell.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III into the Pacific Ocean: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
FL650
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
12079
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of British Columbia. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Consolidated Canso off Goose Bay: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9781
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crew became lost during a survey flight, most probably due to a weather deterioration. Pilot ditched the aircraft in the icy Melville Lake located off Goose bay but the aircraft battered by ice flow and eventually sank. The crew left the cabin and found refuge in dinghies. Unfortunately, all attempts made for rescue were unsuccessful and all eight occupants were never found.
Crew:
W. E. McNicholl 7.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman near Port Alice: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1944 at 1355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
695
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Port Alice - Coal Harbour
MSN:
2
YOM:
1936
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Port Alice at approximately 1350LT. The winds were out of the southeast and the aircraft took off into the wind in the direction of the head of Neroutsos Inlet. Once airborne the aircraft banked to the left, straightening out on a northwest heading in the direction of Coal Harbour. Now flying with the wind, somewhere over the mill site the aircraft experienced a sudden downdraft, possibly due to the warmer air over the mill area. The aircraft lost lift and entered a stall. In order to regain from the stall the nose of the aircraft was pushed down and power applied but as the Norseman aircraft were under powered a recovery was not possible. The aircraft was heading directly into a rooming house and homes along the main street of the town site. The only place not inhabited was the ball field, just over top of the general store to the right. The aircraft banked right from its flight path, stalled completely, and crashed into the unoccupied ball field near the fuel storage tanks. Sgt Powell, Major Moore and L/Br Scrivenor were killed instantly. W/O Eccles, severely injured was trapped in the wreckage as fuel leaking from the aircraft wreckage ignited and the aircraft caught fire. Sgt. Barker had been thrown clear of the crash on impact. Injured and dazed, Sgt Barker regained his thoughts and made numerous desperate attempts to enter the burning wreckage fighting off the flames and finally succeeded in rescuing W/O Eccles from burning to death. Despite the heroic efforts of Sgt Barker, W/O Eccles later died in the Port Alice Hospital as a result of his injuries.
Pilot:
WOII J. J. Eccles. †
Passengers:
Sgt H. R. Barker,
Major J. J. Moore, paymaster, †
Sgt L. A. Powell, accounts, †
L/Br E. G. Scrivenor, security. †
Source & photos: http://www.101nisquadron.org/?page_id=690
Probable cause:
Sgt Barker stated in his interview at the RCAF crash investigation that the aircraft had been flying at an altitude of approximately 600 feet and at speed when the aircraft was hit by a sudden down draft just prior to the crash. This make sense as the hot emissions from the mills boilers, machine room and other mill equipment would be venting in the direction of the aircraft’s flight path. The dense air in the winter months generate lift while warm air is less dense and creates less lift, However the RCAF investigation boards findings were different and placed blame solely on the pilot.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III near Ballycastle: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W6013
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
In the early morning, while descending to the RAF Castle Archdale in marginal weather conditions, the seaplane hit the slope of Mt Knocklayd located south of Ballycastle. Nine crew members were killed while three others were injured. At the time of the accident, the mountain was shrouded by clouds and the visibility was poor.
Crew (423rd Squadron):
S/L Thomas, pilot,
F/O Blair, copilot 10.
Probable cause:
According to RAF Command, the accident was caused by a premature descend in marginal weather conditions and low visibility.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III into the Atlantic Ocean: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1943 at 1745 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W6031
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Enniskillen - Enniskillen
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Enniskillen at 1145LT on a bombing mission over the Atlantic Ocean. Following the attack of the German U-Boat registered U-648, the crew gained altitude and left the combat area. Approximately one hour later, the crew sent several mayday messages and informed ground that he was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The captain ditched the aircraft some 900 km west off Vigo, Spain, around 1745LT. SAR operations were deployed but no trace of the aircraft nor the 11 crew was ever found.
Crew:
F/Sgt Bruce Goulden Burton,
F/Sgt Robert Aird Park,
Sgt Norman Percival Cook,
Sgt Ronald Montague Fisher,
Sgt Noel Neil Lewis,
Sgt Walter McKay,
F/O Charles Gordon Gorrie,
F/O Wilfred Sydney Johnston,
F/O Robert Harry Strauss,
F/O Jan David Butler Ulrichsen,
F/Sgt Norman Barrett.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-25-CO Liberator III in Saint-Donat: 24 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1943 at 2045 LT
Operator:
Registration:
3701
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Gander - Mont-Joli
MSN:
1031
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
The aircraft was returning to Canada from the European War Theater with 20 soldiers in permission and a crew of four. After a fuel stop in Gander, the aircraft continued its route to Mont-Joli Airfield. While cruising by night and in snow falls at an altitude of 2,871 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of the Black Mountain (Montagne Noire) located near Saint-Donat, in the Laurentides. SAR operations were conducted for several weeks and 728 reconnaissance flights for a total of 2,438 flying hours were completed without success. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Eventually, the wreckage was found by hikers on June 26, 1946. In 2015, this accident is still considered as the worst in the RCAF History.
Crew (10th Squadron):
F/Lt J. A. R. Poirier, pilot,
F/O S. A. Sanderson, copilot,
F/Lt R. F. Fisher,
F/O J. S. Johnston.
Passengers:
W/O J. A. Barabonoff,
W/O F. E. Jenkins,
W/O J. Silverstein,
W/O W. I. Howlett,
P/O J. Lamont,
P/O R. W. McDonald,
Sgt E. M. Finn,
Sgt W. J. Macnaughton,
Sgt R. F. Ware,
Sgt F. H. Elliot,
Cpl H. D. Beattie,
LAC C. L. Dynes,
Cpl A. C. Johnston,
Sgt S. A. Wood,
LAC J. A. J. P. Veilleux,
LAC G. R. Patterson,
Cpl H. K. Hambley,
Cpl R. D. Marr,
LAC E. W. Head,
LAC A. J. Radcliffe.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was never identified conclusively. Nevertheless, it is believed it was caused by the following combined factors: snow storm, inaccurate maps and an improperly set altimeter.