Crash of a Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina off Kwajalein Island

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
64011
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
2081
Location:
Kwajalein
All Marshall Islands
Country:
Marshall Islands
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Water-looped on landing, hit a reef and sank. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed 10A Electra in Broome

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 10 Electra
Operator:
Registration:
VH-ABW
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1131
YOM:
1937
Location:
Broome
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Broome Airfield, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a mangrove located in Roebuck Creek, near the airport. While all three crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Lockheed 10B Electra in Virginia

Date & Time: May 16, 1946 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 10 Electra
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UZP
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1109
YOM:
1937
Location:
Adelaide-Parafield
South Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Adelaide-Parafield Airport, the crew lost visual contact with the ground due to heavy rain falls. The twin engine aircraft christened 'Ansalanta' hit the ground and came to rest upside down in a field located in Virginia, some 10 km north of Parafield Airport. All 12 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian I in Sydney

Date & Time: May 2, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Avro 691 Lancastrian
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGMC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
London – Sydney
MSN:
1183
YOM:
1944
Location:
Sydney
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, an undercarriage failed. The aircraft skidded for several yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failure.

Crash of a Percival D.3 Gull Six in Camooweal: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Percival D.3 Gull Six
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UVA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Alice Springs - Camooweal
MSN:
D.60
Location:
Camooweal
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the pilot was flying over the city of Camooweal at a very low height, causing the aircraft to hit electrical wires. A wing was cut and the aircraft crashed in the city. No one on the ground was injured but the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the pilot, Kyle B. Sellick, was killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL on Tarawa Island: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18530
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
4622
YOM:
1942
Location:
Tarawa Island
All Kiribati
Country:
Kiribati
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
At least one crew member was killed when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances on the Tarawa Island.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-7 near Touho: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
39100
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Nouméa – Touho
MSN:
16048/32796
YOM:
1945
Location:
Touho
New Caledonia
Country:
New Caledonia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While descending to Touho Airfield in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft crashed onto a hill and was destroyed. All six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL off Hobart: 25 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1946 at 2055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
VH-AET
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hobart – Melbourne
MSN:
6013
YOM:
1942
Location:
Hobart
Tasmania
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Captain / Total flying hours:
3500
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1400
Aircraft flight hours:
7477
Circumstances:
Two minutes after takeoff from Hobart-Cambridge Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control, nosed down and crashed in the Derwent estuary, near the Seven Mile Beach. The aircraft was destroyed and no survivor was found among the 25 occupants.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the captain inadvertently switched on the autopilot system in lieu of the fuel cross feed system. A forward movement on the control column was then noted and the aircraft plunged into the sea. At the time of the accident, the capacities and the performances of the captain were considered as reduced because he suffered of diabetes and was under influence of insulin, which could be considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in the Tararua Mountain Range: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1946 at 0710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4573
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Meteorological / Weather
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ohakea - Ohakea
MSN:
6203
YOM:
1944
Location:
Tararua Mountain Range
Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons Regional Council)
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a meteorological survey mission and left Ohakea AFB at 0700LT. Ten minutes later, while cruising in the Waitohu Valley in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Tararua Mountain Range. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 4 crew members was found. On March 19, 1949, walkers found the wreckage of the aircraft in a wooded area located near Otaki.
Crew:
F/Lt Walter Jacobs,
F/Lt Sydney Langton,
W/O Hedley Newell,
AC1 Anthony Hayhurst.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Lae

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
A65-11
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
9591
YOM:
1943
Location:
Lae
Morobe
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. While all four crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
F/Lt Bagshaw,
F/Lt Thompson,
F/Lt Smith,
P/O Jacobsen.
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