Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-75-CF Liberator near Flora Lake: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1944 at 0330 LT
Operator:
Registration:
KH108
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Abbotsford - Abbotsford
MSN:
1264
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training mission and departed Abbotsford Airport on the evening of November 9. While low visibility, pilots were unable to locate the mountainous terrain. The four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near Flora Lake, Vancouver Island, and was destroyed by impact forces. All 10 crew members were killed. SAR operations were dispatched on a huge area but no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was eventually spotted one year later. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to marginal weather conditions and by night.
Crew (5th OTU):
F/O John Victor Kingdon, 1st pilot,
F/O Morris Morganstein, 2nd pilot,
F/O Frederick Edward Brown,
F/O James Frederick Cooke,
Sgt Frederick Douglas Hafford,
Sgt Sidney Helper,
Sgt Glyn Ivor Jones,
Sgt Thomas MacDonald,
Sgt Ronald May,
Sgt David Peggie Westwater.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Port Hardy: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
FZ576
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Victoria - Port Hardy
MSN:
12111
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was conducting a training exercise from Victoria-Patricia Bay on behalf of the 32th OTU. On approach to Port Hardy, weather conditions were poor with a low visibility and the pilot was unable to localize the airport. The crew followed a circuit over the region but was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion. The aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area near Port Hardy. Two crew were killed while the third occupant was injured.
Crew (32th OTU):
P/O J. M. Talbot, †
P/O T. S. Wordlow, †
Sgt T. R. Moss.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman near Port Alice: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1944 at 1355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
695
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Port Alice - Coal Harbour
MSN:
2
YOM:
1936
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Port Alice at approximately 1350LT. The winds were out of the southeast and the aircraft took off into the wind in the direction of the head of Neroutsos Inlet. Once airborne the aircraft banked to the left, straightening out on a northwest heading in the direction of Coal Harbour. Now flying with the wind, somewhere over the mill site the aircraft experienced a sudden downdraft, possibly due to the warmer air over the mill area. The aircraft lost lift and entered a stall. In order to regain from the stall the nose of the aircraft was pushed down and power applied but as the Norseman aircraft were under powered a recovery was not possible. The aircraft was heading directly into a rooming house and homes along the main street of the town site. The only place not inhabited was the ball field, just over top of the general store to the right. The aircraft banked right from its flight path, stalled completely, and crashed into the unoccupied ball field near the fuel storage tanks. Sgt Powell, Major Moore and L/Br Scrivenor were killed instantly. W/O Eccles, severely injured was trapped in the wreckage as fuel leaking from the aircraft wreckage ignited and the aircraft caught fire. Sgt. Barker had been thrown clear of the crash on impact. Injured and dazed, Sgt Barker regained his thoughts and made numerous desperate attempts to enter the burning wreckage fighting off the flames and finally succeeded in rescuing W/O Eccles from burning to death. Despite the heroic efforts of Sgt Barker, W/O Eccles later died in the Port Alice Hospital as a result of his injuries.
Pilot:
WOII J. J. Eccles. †
Passengers:
Sgt H. R. Barker,
Major J. J. Moore, paymaster, †
Sgt L. A. Powell, accounts, †
L/Br E. G. Scrivenor, security. †
Source & photos: http://www.101nisquadron.org/?page_id=690
Probable cause:
Sgt Barker stated in his interview at the RCAF crash investigation that the aircraft had been flying at an altitude of approximately 600 feet and at speed when the aircraft was hit by a sudden down draft just prior to the crash. This make sense as the hot emissions from the mills boilers, machine room and other mill equipment would be venting in the direction of the aircraft’s flight path. The dense air in the winter months generate lift while warm air is less dense and creates less lift, However the RCAF investigation boards findings were different and placed blame solely on the pilot.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Qualicum Beach: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6974
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Qualicum Beach - Qualicum Beach
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training mission at Qualicum Beach when on final approach, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in flames onto a house. All three crew members were killed while there were no casualties on the ground.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-H2 Super Electra near Chilliwack: 13 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1942 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-CPD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Prince George – Vancouver
MSN:
1504
YOM:
1939
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 7,000 feet by night and in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Cheam located near the Fraser Valley, in the region of Chilliwack. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the 13 occupants was found. The wreckage was spotted by hunters in August 1943.
Probable cause:
According to Canadian investigators, at the time of the accident, the aircraft was off track more than 120 km, most probably due to a general failure of the electric system. Analysis revealed that the crew did not follow the prescribed track after overflying the city of Squamish. Due to poor visibility, night, bad weather conditions and the failure of the lights, pilots were unconscious of their real position and were unable to locate the mountainous terrain on which the aircraft crashed.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Mesachie Lake: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1942 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7056
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Patricia Bay - Patricia Bay
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Patricia Bay Airport in the early morning to perform a navigation exercise over the Vancouver Island. En route, the crew encountered poor visibility and the aircraft failed to return. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. On October 25, 2013, almost 71 years later, hikers found the wreckage in a hilly and wooded area located near Mesachie Lake.
Crew (32nd OTU):
Sgt Robert Ernest Luckock, pilot,
Sgt William Baird, wireless operator,
P/O Charles George Fox, navigator,
P/O Anthony William Lawrence, navigator.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Vancouver

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7911
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Patricia Bay - Patricia Bay
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. In low visibility due to fog, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed near the Vancouver University. While the aircraft was written off, all five crew members were rescued.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Thormanby Island

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4901
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Patricia Bay - Patricia Bay
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
751
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training exercise out from Patricia Bay airbase. En route, while cruising off Thormanby Island, the left engine failed. The captain decided to ditch the aircraft and all five crew members were quickly rescued while the aircraft was lost and later recovered.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson off Patricia Bay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1942 at 1355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
776
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Patricia Bay - Patricia Bay
MSN:
414-1770
YOM:
1940
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
141
Captain / Total hours on type:
23.00
Circumstances:
The crew departed Patricia Bay Airport on a local training exercise. This was the first solo flight for the crew. After approaching for a landing, the pilot proceeded to make another circuit. The airplane appeared to climb slowly and when in the vicinity of Shoal Harbor was seen to assume a steep dive from which it never recovered. The airplane crashed into the sea off Patricia Bay Airport. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Miller Hatfield, pilot,
P/O Bruce Hutchinson, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Apparent loss of control through misuse of controls. Flaps apparently fully extended and elevator trimming tab turned to nose heavy position, causing the airplane to become extremely nose heavy. Poor airmanship by pilot on first solo on Hudson in that he carried out faulty manipulation of flap controls, resulting in his crash into Shoal Bay.
Final Report:

Crash of a Canadian Vickers Stranraer in Ucluelet: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1941 at 0850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
928
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ucluelet - Ucluelet
MSN:
CV-214
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was returning to base at Ucluelet following a patrol operation with only one engine operating. As it could not maintain height, it crashed in a dense wooded area located half a mile south of the airbase, bursting into flames. Four crew members were killed and four others were slightly injured.
Crew:
F/O Robert Jamieson Gray, pilot, †
Sgt Martin Neil McKay, copilot, †
P/O Albert Cecil Scruton, navigator, †
Cpl Willard John Zenkie, radio operator, †
Cpl G. Atkinson, radio operator,
Sgt L. A. Davies, wireless operator,
Sgt A. G. Gordon, wireless operator,
Sgt F. A. Rogers, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons. Error in judgment of pilot in not flying at a great enough height over land.
Final Report: