Country
Australia
code

Northern Territory

Crash of a Lockheed 14-WF62 Super Electra near Katherine

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 14 Super Electra
Operator:
Registration:
PK-AFM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Brisbane – Daly Waters – Batchelor
MSN:
1411
YOM:
1938
Location:
Katherine
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Brisbane on a flight to Batchelor with an intermediate stop in Daly Waters, carrying 10 US soldiers and two crew members. As it failed to arrive in Batchelor, SAR operations were initiated. Four days later, the crew of a KNILM's DC-3 (PK-ALT) overflew the crash site and spotted the wreckage. As all occupants seemed to have survived, foods and water were dropped over the area. Two days later, a truck arrived on site and all 12 occupants were evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
According to the crew, they lost their orientation while on a night flight and were unable to locate the airport of Batchelor. Eventually, the Captain attempted an emergency landing but after touchdown, the airplane hit trees and both wings were torn off.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat off Darwin: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat
Operator:
Registration:
G-AEUF
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Brisbane – Karumba – Darwin
MSN:
S.848
YOM:
1937
Location:
Darwin
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After landing at night some 2 miles off Darwin, the seaplane named 'Corinthian' collided with unknown debris floating on water and sank rapidly. Two passengers were killed and 13 other occupants were rescued. All passengers were members of the 102nd Coastal Artillery Battalion.
Probable cause:
Collision with unknown floating objects.

Crash of a Boeing B-17D Flying Fortress in Daly Waters: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
40-3079
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Batchelor – Daly Waters
MSN:
2107
YOM:
1940
Location:
Daly Waters
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Approaching Daly Water Airfield on a flight from Batchelor, both left engines failed. As the crew was unable to feather the propellers, the airplane lost height then stalled and crashed in an open field. Five crewmen were injured and a sixth was killed.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure and propeller could not be feathered.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Bathurst Island

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
2306
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
23
YOM:
1941
Location:
Bathurst Island
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Indonesia to Australia, the floatplane was attacked by the pilot of a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Bullets impacted the fuselage, fuel tanks and the right wing that caught fire. The captain reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the airplane off Bathurst Island, north of Darwin. Upon touchdown, the seaplane overturned and sank quickly. Nevertheless, all 18 occupants were able to evacuate the cabin and were later rescued by the crew of the Philippines ship named 'Don Isidro' then disembarked on Bathurst Island.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17D Flying Fortress in Batchelor

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
40-3067
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3067
YOM:
1940
Location:
Batchelor
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after take off from Batchelor Airport, Northern Territories. All five occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The reason of the mishap remains unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson II off Darwin: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1941 at 0545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-69
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Darwin – Ambon
MSN:
414-1922
YOM:
1940
Location:
Darwin
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Darwin Airport at 0530LT on a flight to Ambon, Indonesia. Some 15 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 400 feet, the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (13th Squadron):
W/Cdr Joshua Roger Gray McDonald, pilot,
F/O Ralph Henry Pope,
Sgt Wallace Roy Foreman,
Sgt Walter John Nagel.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to a crew error when the pilot decided to reduce the speed to 95 knots with flaps down to let two other aircrafts create a formation. This caused the aircraft to stall and spin into the sea.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth in Katherine: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth
Operator:
Northern Territory Medical Services
Registration:
VH-UZS
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Katherine – Darwin
MSN:
DHA5
YOM:
1937
Location:
Katherine
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Katherine Airfield, while on an ambulance flight to Darwin, the pilot encountered engine problems and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft hit tree tops and crashed upside down, bursting into flames. While the nurse and the pilot were injured, the female patient was killed and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
The engine failed shortly after takeoff because the fuel was contaminated with water.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Darwin: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-8
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Darwin - Dawrin
MSN:
414-1859
YOM:
1940
Location:
Darwin
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight on behalf of the 13th Squadron. After simulating an aerial attack, the pilot initiated a steep descent. Approaching the ground, he pulled up the control column but the airplane impacted the ground with its left wing. The left engine was torn off and the pilot regain control for few seconds before the aircraft eventually crashed into the sea, some 250 metres offshore. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Murray Charles Davies,
F/O Paul John Wallace Keely,
Sgt Maxwell Alexander Hipkins,
LAC James Curry.
Probable cause:
Poor judgment on part of the pilot who did not evaluate correctly the distance with the ground while simulating an attack.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60 Moth near Mount Brockman

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1940
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Charles N. K. Bell
Registration:
VH-UAR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Darwin - Oenpelli
MSN:
366
YOM:
1927
Location:
Mount Brockman
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Darwin to Oenpelli, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Mount Brockman, some 45 km south of Oenpelli. The pilot, sole on board, was on a delivery mission to Oenpelli with 'Christmas Supplies' on board. The aircraft was wrecked and the pilot was seriously injured.

Crash of a Miles M.3B Falcon Major in Hatches Creek

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Miles M.3B Falcon Major
Operator:
Registration:
VH-AAS
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
209
YOM:
1935
Location:
Hatches Creek
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in an ambulance flight and was carrying one patient, one doctor and two pilots. Shortly after lift off, the aircraft went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. All four occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
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