Oceania

En route from Townsville-Garbutt Field with radar equipment on board, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances some 15 miles south of Croydon. The wreckage was found few hours later and both crew members were killed.

After completing an antisubmarine patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the twin engine aircraft was returning to its base in Nausori. On approach, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances few miles off shore. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the 4 crew members.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/Sgt Alistair Pinching,
W/O Jack Boesen,
F/Sgt Cyril Corbett,
F/Sgt Anthony Madsen.

While approaching Port Moresby-Jackson Airfield at a height of 4,000 feet, both engines failed. The captain attemted an emergency landing in a prairie located 20 miles west of aerodrome, near the Vanapa River. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all four crew members were unhurt.

The crew was completing a training exercise. For unknown reason, the aircraft overshot and collided with a boundary fence. While all four crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crashed on landing at Townsville-Garbutt Airfield for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

The aircraft left Port Moresby-Wards Airport in early morning and completed the initial climb in poor visibility. After few minutes, it hit the slope of a mountain located 13 km west of the airport and was destroyed by impact forces. All 15 occupants were killed. Qantas, the Australian National career, was performing this flight on behalf of the Royal Australian Air Force and all passengers were US and RAAF soldiers and officers. By date, this crash is considered as the worst accident for Qantas since its foundation.
Crew:
S/L William Geoffrey Campbell, pilot,
P/O John Randolph Fleming Henderson, copilot,
F/Sgt Neil Grosvenor Evan, radio operator,
P/O Keith George Shankland Little, purser.
Passengers:
Robert E. Lewis,
Harry H. Poague,
Lt Col C. V. Ferry,
Lt Col Edward John Marston,
Maj J. F. McCarthy,
Lt Col John Benedict Bolger,
2nd Lt John E. Brown,
S/Sgt Vincent W. Novak,
Cpt John W. Baish,
Col Frank O. Dewey,
F/Sgt Leslie Harold Jenke.

The aircraft , call-sign "675-Baker-253", took off from Noumea-La Tontouta Airport, bound for Espiritu Santo. Radio contact was established at 0810LT but the aircraft failed to respond to a scheduled call at 0910LT. Two days later, damaged gear and some personal effects from the plane were found in Nakety Bay. A cold front had passed through the New Caledonia area in the early hours of the morning of the 23rd bringing a cloud layer at 2 to 4 thousand feet and a visibility of 4 to 6 miles, with 3 miles in heavier rain. The route was considered flyable on instruments and several aircraft flew it that day without the pilots reporting any difficulty with the weather conditions. The bodies of the 6 crew-members and 19 passengers (3 RNZAF and 16 USMC from VMTB-232) were never found.
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19431123-0

The aircraft christened 'Star Duster' left Port Moresby bound for Brisbane with intermediate stops in Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton. About 6,700 pounds of cargo were boarded in Garbutt Airfield near Townsville and some mail was loaded in Rockhampton. On the last leg to Brisbane, while cruising west of Monto, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a canyon. As the aircraft was declared missing, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. On June 22, 1948, a local found the wreckage in a steep wooded gully located between two high hills west of Monto. The right wing was found in 1961 some one km from the main wreckage and other debris such a door and stabilizer were found in 1991.
Crew (374th TCG):
1st Lt Victor N. Gibson, pilot,
2nd Lt Michael L. Reitman, copilot,
S/Sgt Everett L. Ahmann, flight engineer,
Cpl John F. Guigo, radio operator.
Passengers:
Tec Albert E. Peglow,
T/Sgt T.G. Cucciaro,
A/Sgt Hugh John McClean,
Sgt Philip Ernest Nicholls,
Gun Thomas Layton Vinecombe,
Sgt Jack Ernest Kerr,
Sgt Albert William Lawrence,
F/O Frank McLaurin Bartlett,
LAC Hector Richard Hore.
Source & photos: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld58.htm

The aircraft left Port Moresby-7 Mile Airfield at the end of the day on a reconnaissance flight over the Bismarck Sea. A last radio communication was set at 2145LT and as the aircraft failed to return, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage and bones were found by locals on Mt Eiyawaiy, near the village of Engati, in 1982.
Crew (43rd BG):
1st Lt Richard Heuss, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert Miller, copilot,
2nd Lt Robert R. Streckenbach, navigator,
2nd Lt Edward French, bombardier,
T/Sgt Charles Bode, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Ivan O. Kirkpatrick, assistant to flight engineer,
S/Sgt Roy Suribian, radio operator,
S/Sgt William K. Musgrave, assistant to radio operator,
S/Sgt James T. Moran, air gunner,
S/Sgt James B. Moore, air gunner,
S/Sgt Lucian I. Oliver Jr., air gunner.

Crashed into the sea off Malaita Island during a maritime patrol mission. Two crew members were rescued while five others were killed.