Crash of a Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express into the Atlantic Ocean: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-11707
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Accra – Georgetown – Natal – Belém
MSN:
203
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
On the leg from Georgetown to Natal, on a flight from Accra to Belém, the four engine aircraft crashed into the Atlantic ocean, some 410 km west of the Ascension Island. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The last radio contact was recorded at 0337LT.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
02951
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a night maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean. En route, while cruising some 80 km off the north coast of Oahu Island, the seaplane crashed into the sea in unknown circumstances. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator into the Atlantic Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-11650
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gander – Prestwick
MSN:
146
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Disappeared over the North Atlantic Ocean while performing a delivery flight from the US to England via Gander and Prestwick. All five occupants were presumed dead as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 into the Mediterranean Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-MAGA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tripoli – Sciacca
MSN:
32058
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shot down over the Mediterranean Sea while performing an international schedule flight. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson VI into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EW903
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-6787
YOM:
1942
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 maritime patrol flight off the Dutch coast when the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea in unknown circumstances. No trace was ever found.
Crew:
Sgt C. L. G. van Heugten,
Sgt L. A. Hoogteiling,
J. de Ligt,
J.A. den Ouden.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 into the Mediterranean Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-TELO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tunis – Castelvetrano
MSN:
32047
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route to Castelvetrani, Sicily, the three-engine aircraft was shot down (enemy or allied fire) and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-392 into the Coral Sea

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-CDI
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Townsville – Cooktown
MSN:
4083
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Townsville to Cooktown, the pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft into the Coral Sea for unknown reason. While the aircraft christened 'The Apple Cart' sunk and was lost, the crew took refuge in a dinghy and was rescued 18 hours later by the crew of a freighter.
Crew (374th TCG):
1st Lt Melvin C. Lewis,
S/Sgt Daniel J. Murphy 2.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I into the Irish Sea: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7302
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-1698
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was performing a solo training flight over the Irish Sea when he lost control of the aircraft that crashed into the sea. Pilot did not survive.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I into the North Sea

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7571
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bottesford - Bottesford
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Bottesford in the evening of September 16 on a bombing mission to Essen, Germany. While approaching The Netherlands by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the North Sea. All seven occupants were rescued and taken POW while the aircraft was lost.
Crew (207th Squadron):
F/Sgt J. D. M. Herron,
Sgt R. A. Stronger,
Sgt G. C. Williams,
Sgt A. R. Barnett,
Sgt I. F. Betts,
Sgt G. F. Mountney,
Sgt J. D. Nicholson.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7894
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Upper Heyford - Upper Heyford
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Upper Heyford at 2157LT on July 28 on a bombing mission to Hamburg, Germany. While overflying the North Sea by night, the aircraft disappeared and crashed into the sea. SAR did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the crew.
Crew (16th OTU):
F/Sgt Richard Elmer Stageman, pilot,
W/O Cecil Charles David Hinks, observer,
Sgt John George Watson, observer,
F/Sgt Prentis Blair Andrew, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Robert Edward Fahey, wireless operator and air gunner.