Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Musa Point: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1942 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-2435
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2246
YOM:
1941
Location:
Musa Point
Oro (Northern)
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Departed 7 Mile Aerodrome in Port Moresby on a search mission in Buna. En route, at 0915LT, the aircraft was attacked by Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Fifteen minutes later, the aircraft went out of control and crashed southwest of Musa Point. Some of the occupants were able to bail out but only one crew member survived.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt William H. Watson, pilot, †
1st Lt John F. Putman, copilot, †
1st Lt James O. Etter, navigator, †
S/Sgt Robert A. Abadie, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Eugene M. Clemens, flight engineer, †
Sgt Leo T. Ranta,
Sgt Robert V. Copley, †
Cpl Philip A. Deal, air gunner, †
Sgt William H. Parker, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III off Fua'amotu: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1942 at 1720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2028
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Nausori - Fua'amotu
MSN:
414-3851
YOM:
1941
Location:
Fua'amotu
All Tonga
Country:
Tonga
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Nausori Airport at 0919LT on a special flight to Fua'amotu, Tonga. On final approach, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and lost control of the aircraft that crashed into the sea some 10 miles off shore. Despite extensive search, the authorities did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the six occupants.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/O Donald Anderson,
F/O Clive Ibbotson,
Sgt Roland Wybourne,
LAC Arthur Clayton.
Passengers:
Major General Owen Herbert Mead,
Lt John Leslie.
Probable cause:
It is probable that pilots suffered a loss of situational awareness during an approach completed in low visibility due to bad weather conditions.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Popogo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1942 at 1334 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-201
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
414-6408
YOM:
1942
Location:
Buna
Oro (Northern)
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft took off from 7-Mile Aerodrome located near Port Moresby, on a solo mission to shadow an enemy cruiser force in the Gulf of Huon. Two hours after take off, while returning to his base, the crew was attacked by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and tried to escape. Ten minutes later, the aircraft was shot down and crashed in a dense wooded area located near the village of Popogo, in the region of Buna. The wreckage was sited on February 28, 1943. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (32nd Squadron):
P/O Warren Frank Cowan,
P/O David Reid Taylor,
Sgt Russell Bradburn Polack,
Sgt Lauri Edwin Sheard.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-40-11 LodeStar off Queensland: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
VH-CAD
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Townsville – Cooktown
MSN:
2109
YOM:
1941
Location:
Australia
All Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Townsville to Cooktownn when the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Queensland. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress off Horn Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1942 at 0232 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-2655
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Horn Island - Horn Island
MSN:
2466
YOM:
1941
Location:
Horn Island
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night take off, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea some 300-400 meters off shore. Three crewmen were killed while six others were rescued. A first B-17 registered 41-2636 crashed at the same location and in similar circumstances two minutes earlier.
Crew:
Lt Paul D. Lindsay, pilot,
Lt Edward R. Budz, navigator, †
Sgt Ralph Dietz, air gunner,
Sgt Vernon O. Elder, air gunner,
S/Sgt Houston A. Rice, †
S/Sgt James E. Houchins. †

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress off Horn Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1942 at 0230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-2636
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Horn Island - Horn Island
MSN:
2447
YOM:
1941
Location:
Horn Island
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night take off, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea some 300-400 meters off shore. Two crewmen were killed while three others were rescued. A second B-17 registered 41-2655 crashed at the same location and in similar circumstances two minutes later.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Broken Head: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-198
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Horn Island - Amberley
MSN:
414-6463
YOM:
1942
Location:
Broken Head
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
After a flight from Horn Island, and while approaching Amberley by night, the crew became lost and continued to the south. By night, and probably short of fuel, the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea some 3 km off Broken Head and sunk by 57 meters deep, off Tallow Beach, between Broken Head and Byron Bay. All ten occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Robert Thomas Trigg,
Sgt Douglas John Lovejoy,
Sgt Gavin Athole Laurie Mclaren,
Sgt Gordon William George Ridge,
Sgt David Leslie Bradley,
LAC Edward George Kimmins,
LAC William Edwards Evans,
LAC Harold Wilmot Johnstone,
LAC Frederick Albert Charles Wood,
AC1 Edward George Merefield.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder off Lae: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
40-1468
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1468
YOM:
1940
Location:
Lae
Morobe
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While cruising off Lae, the twin engine aircraft collided with a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero fighter and crashed into the sea. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Noonamah: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-9014
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kendari - Batchelor
MSN:
2486
YOM:
1941
Location:
Noonamah
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Batchelor following an evacuation flight from Kendari, Indonesia. After being hit by enemy fire, the crew elected to return to his base in Australia but while flying between Darwin and Batchelor by night, the crew encountered engine problems. The captain was forced to feather the engine number 3 while the engine number 4 failed shortly later. The captain attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft nosed down and crashed near Noonamah, north of Batchelor. Three crew members were killed while both others were injured.
Crew (19th BG):
Cpt Weldon Smith, pilot,
Lt Everett Davis, bombardier,
Sgt Glover J. Burke,
Sgt Robert French,
Sgt Bryson West.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Tugan LJW7 Gannet in Canberra

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1942 at 1325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tugan LJW7 Gannet
Operator:
Registration:
A14-5
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
TA-59
YOM:
1937
Location:
Canberra
Australian Capital Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Canberra Airport, the port engine failed. The aircraft lost height, impacted trees and crashed 3 km from the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt B. W. Graham,
Sgt R. C. Kupsch,
Sgt J. P. Craig,
Sgt G. G. Smith.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine after takeoff.
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