Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Caribbean Sea: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
08044
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Juan – Guantánamo
MSN:
863
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
En route from San Juan to the Guantánamo NAS, crew encountered engine problems and elected to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the Caribbean Sea. Fifteen occupants were missing, one was killed and fourteen others were rescued. No trace of the missing crew was ever found.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DK in the Pacific Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-92815
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fairfield AFB - Hickam AFB
MSN:
12657
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Fairfield-Saisun AFB in California at 0237LT on a flight to Hickam Field, Honolulu, with a crew of five on board. At 0805LT (PST), the last radio contact was heard. As the aircraft never arrived at destination, SAR operations were conducted and eventually suspended one week later on April 9, 1944. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura V in the Mediterranean Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FP633
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Oran - Oran
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight over the Mediterranean Sea. En route, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by mistake by a RAF Beaufighter and crashed into the sea. All five crewmen were killed.
Crew (500th Squadron):
F/O Wayne Sheldon Shea,
F/O Vernon Clifford Pockson,
P/O Frederick Joseph Schmidt,
W/O Henry Ernest Parsloe,
Sgt John Philip Taylor.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-DO Skymaster into the Atlantic Ocean: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-37274
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
3064
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was shot down by British fighters because it was approaching a ships convoy. The airplane was carrying dive flap modification kits for P-38's.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III into the Pacific Ocean: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
FL650
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
12079
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of British Columbia. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in the Pacific Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
N5-191
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route, crew was forced to ditch the aircraft into the Pacific Ocean. A crew was rescued while all three others were killed. The reason of the occurrence is unknown.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in the Pacific Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
01989
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Seattle - Kodiak
MSN:
4553
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
En route, while cruising over the North Pacific, the aircraft disappeared in unknown circumstances. SAR operations were conducted and eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 14 occupants was ever found.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in the Gulf of Mexico

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
08535
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew lost his orientation while performing a maritime patrol mission over the Gulf of Mexico. Captain decided to ditch the aircraft some 160 km west of Tampa, Florida. While all five occupants were rescued, the seaplane sunk and was lost.
Probable cause:
Crew became lost in flight.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder in the Mediterranean Sea

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FK362
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
7419
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crew was performing a flight from Italy to Algeria when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Mediterranean Sea. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-15-FO Liberator into the Atlantic Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-52349
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1066
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the South Atlantic Ocean. No trace was ever found. All 14 crew members were killed.