Auckland Council

While taking off from the upper Waitemata harbor off Hobsonville, the seaplane was hit by waves, damaging the port float and wing tip. The aircraft settled back onto the water and as the port wing touched the water, nosed in and sank. Two crew members were killed while the third occupant was injured.
Crew:
F/O John Marshall,
F/O William Morrison,
LAC Whitefield.

United Airlines was performing this special flight from New Zealand to Brisbane on behalf of the US Consulate in order to rapatriate in Australia some Japanese and Thai refugees who should be swapped with US soldiers. Shortly after take off from runway 04 by night, the aircraft climbed in light rain and soft fog and went above the stratus layer when it banked left. It lost altitude, hit the ground at a speed of 200 knots, bounced twice and eventually crashed in a mangrove. On site, SAR could evacuate 16 injured persons while 14 other occupants were killed. A day later, two of the survivors died from their injuries. USAF confirmed that three of the crew and thirteen passengers were killed. All passengers were essentially women and children returnees.

Ground looped on landing and damaged beyond repair. The crew escaped unhurt.

Shortly after takeoff from the bay of Hobsonville, while climbing, the seaplane stalled and crashed into the sea few hundred metres offshore. A crew member was killed while both other occupants were injured. The aircraft was lost.
Crew:
P/O Morris Bee, pilot, †
Sgt D. Leslie,
Lac A. Larkman.

Crashed for unknown reasons while landing off Hobsonville and damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.

Following a training mission in the area of Auckland, the crew was returning to base at Whenuapai. While descending to the airfield, the twin engine airplane stalled and crashed in the Waitemata harbor, some 7 km southeast of the airbase. Both crew members were killed.
Crew (1st Squadron):
P/O Ralph Benfield,
P/O Cyril Comrie.

The crew was engaged in a local training mission at Whenuapai AFB. At the end of the program, the captain decided to make a low pass over the airbase. At a too low altitude, the airplane went out of control and crashed onto a hangar, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed and there were no casualties on the grond.
Crew (1st Squadron):
F/L Graham Hamlin,
P/O Ian McGregor,
Cpl John Barraclough,
Ac1 James Mitchell.

The airplane crashed on takeoff and was destroyed when depth charges exploded. The crew escaped uninjured.

Shortly after take off from Whenuapai AFB, in Auckland, while in initial climb at night, the four engine airplane named 'Texas Tornado' stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. All eleven occupants were killed, among them one officer from the US Navy and one officer from the French Navy. The airplane was on its way to RAAF Laverton, in Melbourne.
Crew (2nd Bomb Squadron):
Col Richard E. Cobb, pilot,
Cpt Joseph Bruce, copilot,
2nd Lt Edward H. Hoffman, navigator,
T/Sgt C. P. Brunson, wireless operator,
T/Sgt J. F. Lopez, flight engineer,
Sgt Harry Cohn, air gunner,
Cpl James Herriotts, air gunner,
Cpl John R. Clanton, air gunner,
Pvt Curtis L. Childers, air gunner.
Passengers:
Lt William E. Hurst, US Navy,
Cpt Jean Clovis Alexandre Gilbert, French Navy.

The airplane departed Whenuapai Airport on a maritime patrol flight. While cruising at a height of 1,500 feet, the pilot-in-command initiated a left turn when the airplane stalled and crashed on a hill side near Helensville. The airplane was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Eric Holdaway,
Sgt George Eatorne,
Sgt Eric Eldershaw.