Date & Time: Jun 27, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
JX435
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
8
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The pilot attempted to land downwind in a rough sea and the Catalina overshot the alighting area and the aircraft's nose dug in, almost causing it to overturn but fell back in an erect position and then caught fire and sank in fairly shallow waters.
Crew (240th Squadron):
F/Sgt Edward William George Denmark, pilot,
W/O Eric John Freeman, pilot,
F/Sgt Geoffrey Sims, pilot,
P/O Francise Arthur Marshall, navigator,
F/Sgt David James John Paramore, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Edward Benn, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Eric George Spearing, air gunner,
Cpl Fred Haworth, air gunner.
Passengers:
Eric Henry John Butler,
Edward Allen,
William Liverton,
James Mitchell,
Robert Short,
Peter Collett.
Source:
http://aircrewremembered.com/raf1945/3/denmarkedward.html
Probable cause:
Some reports state that the aircraft was overloaded with equipment etc but that the main cause was the landing direction.