Country
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Northern Territory

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell off Point Jahleel

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-133
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
87-7878
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a reconnaissance mission over the Kaimana Bay. While returning to its base, the twin engine aircraft was attacked by the pilots of two Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. An oil line on the right engine was damaged so the right engine was cut. The captain was able to leave the combat area and decided to divert to Darwin. While approaching the Australian coast, due to fuel shortage, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft off Point Jahleel, on Melville Island. While the aircraft sunk and was lost, all five crew members were rescued.
Crew (18th Squadron):
2nd Lt R. L. N. Swane, pilot,
1st Lt A. J. de Wolf, copilot,
2nd Lt C. E. Begeman, bombardier,
Sgt Rouvroye, radio navigator,
Sgt William Charles Donald Moore, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by two Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Darwin

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-11869
Flight Phase:
MSN:
365
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Darwin following a maritime patrol flight. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Hughes: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1943 at 1948 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-212
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hughes - Hughes
MSN:
414-6481
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
During the final approach completed in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft lost height and crashed short of runway threshold. Four crew members were seriously injured while two others were killed. Few hours later, one of the survivor died from his injuries. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with low visibility and turbulence caused by a storm.
Crew (13th Squadron):
Sgt K. D. Brown,
Sgt W. R. Robertson, †
LAC K. E. G. Edwards,
LAC P. R. Lazarus,
LAC C. C. Jennings, †
LAC R. G. Bradley. †

Crash of a North American B-25C Mitchell in MacDonald: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-132
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
82-5554
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from MacDonald Airfield, while climbing, the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion some 3-4 miles from the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (18th Squadron):
Schalk,
Hiele,
Janssen,
Kessels,
Maarschalkerweerd,
Abeleven,
MacPherson.
Source & photo: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nt83.htm

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Batchelor: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-232
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Batchelor - Batchelor
MSN:
414-6480
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a survey flight over the Wetar Strait, off the Indonesian province of Timor. En route, the twin engine aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a Mitsubishi Zero. Several bullets hit the right engine and fuel tanks. The aircraft became uncontrollable but the crew was able to leave the area and to return to Batchelor for a safe landing. Later, RAAF officers confirmed the death of a crew member while four other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/O A. A. Cambridge,
Sgt G. H. Cooper,
Sgt T. I. Gunn,
F/O J. M. Barnes,
Sgt G. J. Thame. †
Probable cause:
Hit by enemy fire.

Crash of a Martin B-26B Marauder off Bathurst Island: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-17593
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a bombing mission over Dili, Timor. On target, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire, causing an engine to fail. The aircraft was able to return to Australia but while approaching Bathurst Island, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft off Cape Helvetius. The aircraft was lost and all seven crew members took refuge in a dinghy. A crew member died from his injuries while six others were rescued 17 hours later.
Crew (22nd BG):
Cpt Charles I. Hitchcock, pilot,
Sgt John A. Simms, copilot,
Sgt Joseph G. Schank, flight engineer,
1st Lt Albert J. Pilkington,
S/Sgt Pershing A. Arbogast,
S/Sgt Samuel F. Miller, bombardier,
Sgt Glenn A. Campbelll, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Hit by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Noonamah: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-9014
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kendari - Batchelor
MSN:
2486
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Batchelor following an evacuation flight from Kendari, Indonesia. After being hit by enemy fire, the crew elected to return to his base in Australia but while flying between Darwin and Batchelor by night, the crew encountered engine problems. The captain was forced to feather the engine number 3 while the engine number 4 failed shortly later. The captain attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft nosed down and crashed near Noonamah, north of Batchelor. Three crew members were killed while both others were injured.
Crew (19th BG):
Cpt Weldon Smith, pilot,
Lt Everett Davis, bombardier,
Sgt Glover J. Burke,
Sgt Robert French,
Sgt Bryson West.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 in Alice Springs: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1942 at 0357 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
38-505
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor
MSN:
2062
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Due to poor weather conditions, the captain decided to postpone the departure for more than three hours. Two minutes after take off, while climbing by night, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a desert area located few hundred yards from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire, and all nine occupants were killed.
Crew (21st Troop Carrier Squadron):
2nd Lt Russell L. Callison,
2nd Lt William A. O'Neill,
Pvt Martin J. Law,
Pvt Rolfe M. Smith.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Aubrey Lawless Tobias,
F/Lt Duncan Matheson,
LAC James Emmanuel Skillen 2.
Probable cause:
It appears the total weight of the aircraft was 2,762 pounds above the MTOW at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Tugan LJW7 Gannet in the Arnhem Land

Date & Time: May 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A14-6
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Batchelor – Groote Eylandt
MSN:
TA-55
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Batchelor on an ambulance flight to Groote Eylandt, carrying one nurse and two crew members. While cruising over Arnhem Land, the crew became lost. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when it crashed in a swampy area and came to rest upside down. All three occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. After 10 days in an hostile environment, the three survivors built make-shift raft from aircraft parts and set off drifting down the Cato River. After several days they were located by Aborigines who took them to Elcho Island Mission then on to the RAAF Station on Millingimbi Island, where they arrived 33 days after the crash.
Crew:
F/Sgt Francis Smallhorn, pilot,
AC1 George Booth, radio operator.
Passenger:
Cpl Phillip Bronk, nurse.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-WF62 Super Electra near Pine Creek: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-ADY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Brisbane – Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor – Darwin
MSN:
1498
YOM:
0
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
On the last leg to Darwin, the crew lost his orientation while cruising in rain falls and night. Due to poor visibility, the crew was unable to locate the airport of Darwin and continued over the sea. Few minutes later, pilots realized they were flying over the sea and returned to the continent but could not see the city of Darwin nor its airport. Crew informed ATC he was low of fuel and wanted to land shortly but eventually, the twin engine aircraft hit a mountain slope near Annaburroo Station, in the region of Pine Creek. Rescuers did not find any trace of the aircraft and all operations were suspended few days later. Eventually, the wreckage and all 12 dead bodies were found on June 30, 1942, in an isolated area. The occupants were two pilots and ten US soldiers. The aircraft was built in May 1939 and delivered to Guinea Airways on June 9, 1940.
Probable cause:
Crew lost his orientation due to the failure of both radio compass while flying by night in poor weather conditions (rain falls). Due to low visibility, the crew was unable to establish his real position and to locate the Darwin's Airfield.