Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DL near Rewan: 19 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1943 at 1500 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-23420
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Batchelor – Gorrie – Daly Waters – Cloncurry – Brisbane
MSN:
9451
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Pushy Cat' left Batchelor Airfield in the Northern Territory at 0730LT bound for Archerfield Airport in Brisbane with intermediate stops in Gorrie, Daly Waters and Cloncurry. The aircraft was unable to land at Gorrie because the airfield was out of order, so the crew landed at Daly Waters where additional passengers were picked up. The aircraft arrived in Cloncurry at 1245LT where three more Australian soldiers boarded the aircraft. En route from Cloncurry to Brisbane, the aircraft went through a thunderstorm area, broke up in mid-air and crashed in the Carnarvon canyon located southwest of Rewan. The wreckage was found two days later and all 19 occupants were killed.
Crew (21st Transport Group:
2nd Lt Raymond E. Anglin, pilot,
2nd Lt Joseph W. Kennedy, copilot,
Sgt Frank J. Ropinski, flight engineer,
Sgt Harold L. Baumstein, radio operator.
Passengers:
Sgt Robert L. Adkins,
F/Lt Roy Edgar Abbot,
F/Lt Albert Ernest Watkin,
Sgt Ronald Keith Pitchford,
Cpl William Brady,
Cpl Francis Paul Morris,
LAC John Given Maxwell,
LAC Stanley Kirk Sims,
Lt Harley Horace Lockie,
Lt Ross Rowsell,
Sgt Victor Frederick Bishop,
Sgt Thomas William Davey,
Sgt William Joseph Parker,
Pvt William Howard Dorman,
Pvt Andrew Henry Mildren.
Probable cause:
Heavy turbulence in a low-pressure area caused excessive forces on the structure of the aircraft that broke in mid-air and crashed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-150-CO Liberator in Fenton: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-41242
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fenton - Fenton
MSN:
2319
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Fenton Airport, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew (380th BG):
Lt Wilfred Grenfell, pilot 9.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator in Fenton

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-40504
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1581
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing at Fenton, the aircraft christened 'Gus's Bus' suffered a gear failure and came to rest. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair but later salvaged.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failure on landing.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Batchelor

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-145
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
82-5433
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'The Flying Dutchman' from 18 Squadron of the Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEI-AF/ KNIL) was damaged after running off the runway in a downwind landing at Batchelor airfield in the Northern Territory. There were no casualties.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nt138.htm

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Port Moresby: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2447
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Port Moresby, killing all six crew members.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 in Limeburners Creek: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A34-37
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2026
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a survey flight to select sites for training exercises for paratroop battalion. While cruising at low altitude, the twin-engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into timber located 4 miles north of Limeburners Creek. Two crew members were rescued while three others were killed, among them the pilot.
Crew:
Sgt Hollingdale, pilot, †
Denzel Leslie Govett, †
Maj Smith, †
Sgt Moran,
LAC Barlow.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in West Eyreton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1375
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wigram - Wigram
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training mission. After departure from Wigram AFB, the pilot continued the flight at low altitude under the cloud base when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a prairie. A crewman was killed while both others were injured.
Crew (1st SFTS):
P/O F. Moran,
LAC A. Broad,
LAC Graham Browne. †

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II in West Melton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1363
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Wigram - Wigram
MSN:
1982
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training mission. After departure from Wigram AFB, the pilot continued the flight at low altitude under the cloud base when the aircraft hit a hill and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew (1st SFTS):
P/O William Brant,
P/O Neville Bailey,
P/O Eric Munro.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Suva: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1943 at 2050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4002
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Suva - Suva
MSN:
1334
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from the Laucala Bay, off Suva, while on a night training sortie, the seaplane reached the height of 200 feet and then plunged into the bay, few hundred yards off shore. All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The elevator trim tabs were wrongly set by the crew, causing the aircraft to crash.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator in Fenton: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-40509
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fenton - Fenton
MSN:
1586
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful bombing mission over Langgoer, the crew was returning to his base at Fenton. On final approach by night, the aircraft christened 'Nothing Sacred' was too low and hit the slope of Mt Sugar Loaf located three miles short of runway. A photographer was the only survivor as all ten other occupants were killed.
Crew (380th BG):
Lt Hugh B. Parris,
Archibald S. Mills, Jr.,
Andrew B. Edwards Jr.,
Urban V. W. Darlington,
Leonard R. Greene,
Dossie J. Odom,
Ralph T. Newbold,
Albert Mirarchi,
William O. Miller,
LaVerne F. Parsons.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nt155.htm