Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I on Mt Egmont: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ277
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
New Plymouth - New Plymouth
MSN:
499
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission and left New Plymouth AFB in the day. En route, the twin engine aircraft disappeared without trace. SAR operations were conducted and eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. A hunter found the wreckage in a wooded area located on a slope of Mt Egmont on January 17, 1974. Mt Egmont was later renamed Mt Taranaki.
Crew:
P/O Rodney Dandy,
Sgt Edward Dodson,
Sgt Graham Martin,
Sgt Douglas Martyn.
Probable cause:
According to the RNZAF, the crew was bothered by the sudden deterioration of the weather conditions while flying in a valley close to Mt Egmont. Due to poor visibility and low ceiling, the crew was unable to locate the mountain on which the aircraft crashed.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Luganville: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1942 at 0325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2055
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luganville - Luganville
MSN:
414-6614
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Luganville-Norsup Airport, the twin engine aircraft entered a steep rate of climb, stalled and crashed into the sea. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (3rd Squadron):
F/O William Lauchlan,
Sgt Stephen Bishop,
F/O Lister Mulholland,
Sgt Maxwell Walker,
Sgt John Cornish,
LAC James Ferguson,
AC1 Noel Fowler.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Tantanoola: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1942 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW849
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Laverton - Laverton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Laverton AFB following a reconnaissance flight off the Australian coast to trace submarine. En route, the twin engine aircraft went out of fuel and the pilot ordered his crew to bail out. While attempting an emergency landing, he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in flames in a field located 8 miles west of Tantanoola. While the pilot F/O Baxter Watson was killed, both other crew members were unhurt. Crew from the 2nd Air Observation School.
Probable cause:
According to RAAF, the fuel exhaustion was caused by a navigational error on part of the crew.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Laverton AFB

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1942 at 1533 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-224
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Laverton - Laverton
MSN:
414-6471
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Laverton AFB, in initial climb, the left engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. All five crew members were injured, two of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
P/O H. C. McDonald,
Sgt B. R. Coulter,
Sgt J. H. Brocks,
Sgt R. G. Curtis.
Passenger:
S/Sgt D. M. Cowan.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Flinders Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-18
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bairnsdale – Whitemark
MSN:
414-1869
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a flight from Bairnsdale to Whitemark (Flinders Island), the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea in unknown circumstances. SAR mission was conducted but evetually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. 18 RAAF aircraft took part of the SAR operation.
Crew (1st OTU):
P/O Edward R. Deacon,
Sgt Albert F. Manning,
Sgt Cecil H. Andrews,
Sgt William Anderson.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Brisbane

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-CAE
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2110
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at Brisbane-Archerfield Airport, while performing a flight on behalf of the RAAF. No casualties.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson in Clackline: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1942 at 0042 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W2262
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pearce - Pearce
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training flight on behalf of the 68th Reserve's Squadron based in Geraldton. Shortly after take off from Pearce AFB, near Perth, the crew followed a 111° heading for twenty minutes and turn back to Pearce AFB. While performing a left turn, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a prairie. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in Nouméa: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
01981
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
4437
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night take off from Nouméa-La Tontouta Airport, an engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed on Mt Ousassio located near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed. Following the accident, Mt Ousassio was renamed Mt Kimball to honor the captain and his crew.
Crew:
Maj Skip Kimball, pilot,
C/C Charlie Mottram 6.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress near Rabaul: 9 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-9196
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mareeba - Port Moresby - Mareeba
MSN:
2668
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Mareeba in Queensland and made a fuel stop at Port Moresby-Seven Mile airfield. It then continued to Rabaul on a mission to attack the Vunakanau Airfield. Upon arrival, the bomber was attacked by 11 Japanese Mitsubishi Zero and crashed, killing all nine crew members.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Earl L. Hageman Jr.,
1st Lt Dale E. Hanson,
2nd Lt Angelo P. Bianco,
2nd Lt Wade H. Lowry,
S/Sgt Michael G. Adamow,
Sgt Thomas H. Jack,
Cpl Frank J. Mehock,
Pfc Thomas W. Wilzbacher,
Sgt Frank W. Plunkett, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Australia

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1942 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1403
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1403
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful mission and landing, crew evacuate the runway to rich his parking place. While rolling on taxiway, aircraft became uncontrollable, run down an embankment and came to rest in a ravine. All eight crew were uninjured as the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.