Oceania

The crew was engaged in a training flight off Nelson. In flight, the captain decided to reduce his altitude and made a very low pass over the Tasman Bay. Propeller blades hit the water surface and the pilot increased engine power to gain altitude. At a height of 200 feet, the aircraft went out of control, the pilot was able to send a brief mayday message and ditched the aircraft. Ten minutes later, the pilot of a RNZAF's Harvard spotted the Hudson floating with all crew alive, seating on both wings. Unfortunately, more than two hours were needed for the crew of a RNZAF ship to rich the site. Only one crew was found alive as all six other occupants died from hypothermia because the water temperature was too low.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/O Dean Horrocks, †
Sgt Vincent Hill, †
Sgt Jack Bryson, †
Sgt Victor Chapple, †
Sgt Gordon Stevens, †
AC1 John Davis, †
W/O J. Colway.

Shortly after take off from New Plymouth Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea. While all four occupants were rescued, the aircraft was lost.

During the take off run, crew mistakenly retracted the landing gear while the aircraft was still on the ground. Aircraft skidded on runway and came to rest. All occupants survived but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

En route, all four engines stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The captain reduced his altitude and ditched the aircraft off Duma Point. While the aircraft sunk by a depth of 60 meters, all eight occupants were able to evacuate the cabin but were captured by Japanese soldiers and executed.

The crew left Honiara-Henderson Airfield to attack Japanese ships cruising off Shortland and Bougainville Islands. While approaching the target, the aircraft christened 'Bessie The Jap Basher' was shot down by the pilots of Japanese fighters and crashed into the sea by a depth of 100 feet off Shortland Island. Eight crew members were killed while the captain was rescued and later executed by Japanese soldiers.
Crew (11th BG):
1st Lt Charles E. Norton, pilot,
1st Lt Bruce S. Barker, copilot,
1st Lt Leo M. Eminger, navigator,
Sgt James R. Mathewson, bombardier,
S/Sgt Peter F. Novak, radio operator,
S/Sgt William L. Hotard, air gunner,
S/Sgt Fred S. Croyle, air gunner,
Sgt Bruce W. Osborne, air gunner,
Pfc Edward A. Carroll, air gunner.

The crew left Garbutt Airfield in Townsville at 2300LT on September 17 on a bombing mission over Rabaul. On the return leg, the weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor. In a last radio message, the on board operator informed ground that the crew will abandon the aircraft that crashed near Weipa. Eight crew members were rescued by the crew of a Catalina on September 20. Unfortunately, the ninth occupant was killed as his parachute did not open.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Claude N. Burcky, pilot,
2nd Lt Augustin Rapisardi, copilot,
2nd Lt Donald C. Miller, bombardier,
1st Lt William F. Meenagh, navigator, †
Sgt Lloyd Chamberlain,
Pvt John Naglich,
S/Sgt Norris Reynolds,
Sgt Lawrence Johnson,
Sgt George Schmid.

On final approach to Port Moresby-Seven Mile Airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (36th Squadron):
Sgt Gordon Thomas Beitz,
Sgt John Douglas Dally,
Sgt Alber,
F/Lt Stewart Devine,
LAC Frank Harold Foers.

The crew was returning to his base following a bombing mission to Lae. On landing at Lockhart River-Iron Range Airfield, a tyre burst. The aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in flames. The copilot was killed while all seven other occupants were injured. The aircraft was written off.
Crew (22nd BG):
2nd Lt Walter Krell, pilot,
P/O Graham Brindley John Robertson, copilot. †

The aircraft left Pouembout-Plaine des Gaiacs AFB (New Caledonia) on a maritime patrol flight over the Solomon Islands. While cruising off the Rendova Island, the crew intercepted a Japanese flying boat but was shot down and crashed into the sea. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (11th BG):
Cpt Robert H. Richards, pilot,
1st Lt Robert H. McGhee, copilot,
2nd Lt William F. B. Morris, navigator,
S/Sgt Charles E. Bayer, bombardier,
Cpl Otis O. Black Jr., flight engineer,
Cpl Yvon W. Bailey, assistant to the flight engineer,
Sgt Hugh M. King, radio operator,
Cpl Peter Charuk, air gunner,
Pvt William Omanoff, air gunner.

The crew was performing a training flight in the vicinity of the Wigram FB, Christchurch. While flying at low altitude, the twin engine aircraft collided with another RNZAF Airspeed AS.10 Oxford registered NZ1303. Following the collision, the first aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all three occupants. The second aircraft was able to land safely at Wigram AFB.