Africa

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Castel Benito (Qaser Bin Ghashir)

Location:

Tripoli (طرابلس)

Country:

Libya

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff by night from Castel Benito, while climbing to a height of 150 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion on a sand dune located near the airport. A passenger was seriously injured while 28 other occupants were killed. All passengers were returning to England on behalf of the Air Transport Command.
Crew (158th Squadron):
F/Lt Claude Robert Wilson, pilot,
F/Lt Peter Austin Finnett, navigator,
F/O Ernest Leo Hill, pilot,
F/O Sidney Hodges, pilot,
F/Lt Frank William Kenrick, pilot,
F/O George Frederick Phillipson, flight engineer,
F/Lt Leonard Simpson, navigator.
Passengers:
Gun Victor Charles Acourt,
Gun William Beardsley,
Pvt James William Merritt Belk,
Gun Henry Benjamin Butler,
Gun George Ward Chapman,
Gun Ronald William Dobson,
Gun Donald James Elliott,
Sgt Cyril Flannery,
Gun Thomas George Gregory,
Gun Leonard Kemp,
Gun Albert McGrath,
Gun Walter Marshall,
William Moncur,
Trp Peter Owens,
Gun Alfred Eric Roberts,
Gun Andrew Ross,
Gun Frank Shepherd,
Gun John Henry Telford,
Gun Henry Turvey,
Sig John William Walter Wilson,
Gun Denzil Young.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was seen on fire shortly after rotation and it is believed that one of both left engines exploded shortly after liftoff, maybe due to a leak on a fuel line, a loose connection or a leak on a tank. Unfortunately, investigators were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident due to the total destruction of the aircraft.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK Dakota C.4 in El Adem

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

KN698

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Transport Aérien Militaire (TAM)

MSN:

16666/33414

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Two minutes after its night takeoff from El Adem Airport, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and burnt, 4 km northwest of the airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar in Tripoli: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-60 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

FC-AXM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Antananarivo - Tripoli - Paris

MSN:

2163

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on its way from Antananarivo to Paris with an intermediate stop in Tripoli. Shortly after take off, the twin engine aircraft christened 'Koufra' crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all eight occupants. The flight was conducted on behalf of the French Ministère de l'Air (Direction Technique et Industrielle).
Crew:
André Vercruysse, pilot,
Daniel Levesque, radio navigator,
Georges Deloustal, flight engineer.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL near Broken Hill: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

6809

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

10104

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances north of Broken Hill, North Rhodesia. Nine passengers were killed in the accident.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar off Algiers: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

F-ARTK

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

2010

YOM:

1940

Location:

Algiers

Country:

Algeria

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Algiers Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, few miles offshore. The aircraft sank and all seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
André Heinzelmann, pilot,
Charles Borel, radio navigator,
Germain Laffitte, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Georges Perez,
Marguerite Perez,
Joseph Remer,
Hubert Gabillet.

Probable cause:

As the aircraft was not recovered, the cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK off Kisumu: 28 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

6812

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Kisumu – Durban

MSN:

11987

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Kisumu Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft crashed on an island located in the Winam Bay, northeast part of the Lake Victoria. All 28 occupants were killed, among them SAAF soldiers that were released after being prisoners of war.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty but Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority banned all night takeoffs from Kisumu Airport for several weeks following this accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Waterkloof AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

6847

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Schedule:

Waterkloof - Waterkloof

MSN:

14670/26115

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Waterkloof AFB while performing a training sortie. A crew member was killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Kisumu: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

FP115

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The seaplane hit the water surface on landing, overturned and sank. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (259th Squadron):
F/O Stanley William Ives, pilot,
F/O Denis Claude William Churchill, pilot,
F/Sgt David Francis Deans, flight engineer,
F/Sgt George Thomas Parsons, navigator,
F/Sgt Noel Wilks, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Laurence Roy McIntosh, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source: http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/12251.php

Probable cause:

Misjudged landing by an inexperienced pilot on the Lake when it was glassy calm.The crew captain was not actually flying the aircraft at the time.

Crash of a Douglas C-54B-1-DC near Biskra: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

42-72372

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type: