Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
2334
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dillingham – North Island
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Lost without trace in the Pacific Ocean while performing a flight from Dillingham (Oahu Island, Hawaii) to North Island-Halsey Field NAS, San Diego.

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell into the Timor Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
N5-144
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
87-7882
YOM:
1941
Location:
Timor Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a bombing mission over Dili. Approaching the target, the aircraft was attacked by few Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Two crew members, among them the pilot, were killed and the aircraft was hit on the right engine and the tail as well. The crew was able to leave the combat area but was eventually forced to ditch the aircraft into the Timor Sea, some 150 miles south of Dili. The aircraft sunk and was lost while four crew members were rescued a day later by an Australian destroyer.
Crew (18th Squadron):
2nd Lt B. J. Grummels, pilot, †
C. M. Fisscher, copilot,
Cpl Van Der Weert, radio operator,
Sgt Hoek, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Ronald Stuart Horridge, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Robert Gordon Tyler, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder into the Aegean Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1943 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
FK150
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Shallufa - Shallufa
MSN:
7377
YOM:
1941
Location:
Aegean Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Shallufa at 1045LT on a maritime patrol flight over the Aegean Sea. En route, the aircraft was attacked by Flak based on a enemy merchant vessel and crashed into the sea. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (14th Squadron):
P/O Colin Carl Truman, pilot,
F/Sgt Jack Irvine Thompson, copilot,
F/O B. T. Connell, observer,
F/Sgt Robert Edward Herbert Hope, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt K. Firth, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt W. J. Semple, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II into The Channel: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
AJ188
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Location:
The Channel
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left RAF Feltwell at 1220LT to attack the airport of Cherbourg-Maupertus with five other similar aircraft. After an uneventful mission, the aircraft was returning to its base when it crashed in unknown circumstances into The Channel, killing all four crew members.
Crew (464th Squadron):
Sgt N. E. Powell, pilot,
Sgt P. A. Nodes, navigator,
Sgt J, Dunne, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt S. J. Newton, air gunner.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express into the Atlantic Ocean: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1943 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express
Operator:
Registration:
41-11708
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Accra – Georgetown – Natal
MSN:
204
YOM:
1941
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
While overflying the Atlantic Ocean by night, on the leg from Georgetown (Ascension Island) to Natal, while on a flight from Accra to Natal, the aircraft disappeared into the Ocean around 2300LT. SAR operations were conducted for several days but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Two life vests were discovered on a Brazilian beach few days later.
Probable cause:
US military authorities reported that at the time of the accident, whose causes remain unknown, weather conditions prevailing above the center of the Atlantic Ocean were marginal due to the presence of thick clouds and heavy rain falls. It is also reported that lifeboats were found on seas nearly 100 km east of Recife on February 4, 1943, with dead bodies on board. This means that some passengers escaped the accident and managed to take refuge in dinghies. Analyses carried out on the bodies determined that the last survivor died of fatigue, hunger and thirst on February 3, 1943, two weeks after the accident. Without concrete elements, no part of the aircraft having been found, investigators were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
04502
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The accident occurred when the seaplane went out of control as the pilot was trying to avoid a collision with a small boat. The aircraft sunk and was lost. Three crew members were killed while two others were rescued.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Iceland: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
04402
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Keflavik - Keflavik
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew left Keflavik-Meeks Field at night on an anti-submarine mission off Iceland. Some 18 minutes after take off, while flying by night and in snowy conditions, the seaplane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all eight crew members.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow II into the Bay of Biscay: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow
Operator:
Registration:
K7011
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Portreath – Gibraltar
Location:
Bay of Biscay
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While cruising over the Bay of Biscay, the aircraft crashed into the sea off the Spanish coast in unknown circumstances. None of 11 occupants survived.
Crew (271st Squadron):
S/L Godfrey Allison Brown, pilot,
F/Lt Edward Thomson Halley,
P/O Peter Marsh Burton,
F/O Edwin Buckley Bowen,
F/Sgt Richard George Brett,
F/Sgt John Brister,
LAC Philip Cashmore.
Passengers:
Lt Andrew Jervis Hawkins,
Maj Harold John Palmer,
F/O William Milton Henderson,
F/O John Glen McCauley.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
08135
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. In stormy weather, the seaplane went out of control and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. No trace was found.
Crew:
Lt Orrin J. McCausland, pilot,
Lt Warren K. Mesick,
Cpt James M. Kelly,
Am1 Leonard H. Davidson,
Am2 Edward R. Messenger,
Arm Arthur Dooke,
Arm Melvin F. Jurick.
Source: http://www.vpnavy.com/vp54_mishap.html
Probable cause:
The cause of the disappearance of this plane is undetermined, but there are several possibilities indicated. Structural failure as the result of high winds and strong vertical currents encountered in the storm may have cause the plane to crash into the water. The plane may have exploded mid-air due to accidental ignition of high octane gasoline vapor present in the plane as a result of transfer of fuel from hull tanks to wing tanks. These vapors may have ignited by static spark, an accidental spark from other sources or lightning. Crew members of one of the other planes saw a large red flash in the clouds which appeared to localized to be lightning.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
7245
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft for unknown reason some 210 km off Natal. While the aircraft sunk and was lost, all eight crew members were quickly rescued.
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