Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Poole: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGDA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Poole - Poole
YOM:
1941
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight in the area of Poole. While landing in the Poole harbor, the seaplane named 'Dog-Able' went out of control and crashed. Three crew members were killed and three others were injured. The airplane was destroyed by fire and sank.
Those killed were:
R/O Reginald Martin,
R/O Fred Mitchell,
Mr Loweman, flight engineer.
Source & photo:
http://www.pooleflyingboats.com/archive/Momentum-for-the-Postwar-Era-at-Poole.pdf

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Jacksonville Beach

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
08181
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jacksonville - Jacksonville
MSN:
1075
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was dispatched off Jacksonville to rescue the pilot of a fighter plane that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean. Upon landing on sea, the hull of the seaplane was damaged, causing water to enter the cabin. The seaplane sank and was lost with 4 depth charges and was not recovered. All 10 crew members were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
Ens Rue L. Brown, pilot,
Ens Richard D. Crombie,
Ens George R. Crumpler,
Amm2c J. W. Kwaak,
Amm3c W. F. Gotts,
Amm3c L. S. Determan,
Sea2c H. E. Bullock,
Aom3c B. J. Parker,
Rm3c R. H. Newkirk,
Rm3c G. C. Moros.
Probable cause:
Lack of experience and poor technique on part of the pilot caused damage to hull upon landing on sea.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY Catalina into the Atlantic Ocean: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FP116
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Montreal - Montreal
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The seaplane suffered an engine failure in flight and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda. All four crew members were killed. Airplane and crew based at Montreal-Dorval Airport.
Crew:
Cpt Clarence Alvin Schiller, pilot,
Sgt David Wilkie, navigator +1.
F/O William Bradley Collins, radio operator,
F/O J. C. Ford, radio operator.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Becharof Lake: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1943 at 1840 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
7279
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Dutch Harbor – Kodiak
MSN:
447
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
En route from Dutch Harbor to Kodiak, while cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet in marginal weather conditions, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located between Mt Martin and Becharof Lake. All eight crew members were killed. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned after few weeks as no trace of the airplane nor the crew was found. The wreckage was found on 25 June 1945 and eight mail bags were recovered.
Crew:
Lt R. C. Gish, pilot,
Ens E. F. Schmidt, copilot,
Ap1c H. H. Estes,
Amm2c L. H. Sommerville,
Qm3c T. D. Duff,
Aom3c J. Rampini Jr.,
Amm2c Harvey H. Eggersluss,
Rm2c John C. Herring.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Narsarsuaq

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
08054
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Narsarsuaq - Narsarsuaq
MSN:
873
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a maritime patrol flight, the crew was returning to base at Narsarsuaq. After landing, while taxiing to the base, the seaplane collided with an iceberg and was severely damaged. All five crew members escaped unhurt and the airplane was later damaged beyond repair while being hoisted.
Crew:
Lt H. C. Weart, pilot,
Lt(jg) R. K. Buchanan,
Rm2c W. Finch,
Amm1c W. Bittorf,
Amm1c R. J. Page.
Probable cause:
Collision with an iceberg while taxiing. Ice on windshield prevented pilots from seeing the iceberg.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Gasmata: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-22
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
285
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a maritime patrol flight when he sent a brief mayday message and informed ground that a fire broke out in the cabin. Shortly later, the seaplane crashed into the Solomon Sea, some 50 km south of Gasmata. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (11th Squadron):
W/Cdr Francis Blomfield Chapman, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Noblett Stephens, copilot,
Sgt John Edward Dewhurst, flight engineer,
Lac Robert George Docking, flight engineer,
F/O John Trevor David Todd, navigator,
F/O Stanley Alfred Deacon, radio operator,
Lac Colin Neville Anderson, armourer,
F/O Malcolm Bradshaw, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Lloyd George Stanley, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire of unknown origin.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Whidbey Island NAS: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
04475
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Whidbey Island - Whidbey Island
MSN:
477
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Water-looped on landing and sank off Whidbey Island NAS. Four crew members were killed and two others were rescued.
Crew (VP-HDN-6).

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2334
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dillingham – North Island
MSN:
95
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The seaplane departed Dillingham Airfield, O'ahu Island, on a flight to North Island-Halsey Field NAS, San Diego, with a crew of eight on board. It failed to arrive at destination and was lost without trace.
Crew (VP-91):
Lt Samuel I. Ogden, pilot,
Lt Melvin K. Atwell,
Cpt John K. Koons,
Amm1 Larned A. Carter,
Rm2 G. L. Young,
Amm3 Frank K. O'Malloy,
Rm3 Thomas W. Adams,
Lt Abbott H. Hastings.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Green Island: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-25
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cairns - Cairns
MSN:
273
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The Catalina was returning to base following an anti-submarine escort for a convoy in the Coral Sea bound for Milne Bay. While cruising over the region of Green Island, off Cairns, the seaplane crashed into the sea and sank. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
W/Cdr John William Daniell, pilot,
Sgt Norman Notley Moore, pilot,
S/L Eric Hamilton Barkley, copilot,
F/O Lewis Melvin Dunham, observer,
F/O Stuart Patrick King,
Sgt Keith Arnold Watson, flight engineer,
Cpl John Corbett Stain, flight engineer,
Sgt Allen Richard Eather, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Alexander Eric John Elsbury, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Daniel O’Grady, rigger,
Cpl Douglas Griffen Shaw Russell, armourer.
Probable cause:
The assumption that the accident was caused by a fuel exhaustion was not ruled out.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina at North Island NAS: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
08163
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Island - North Island
MSN:
1057
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from North Island-Halsey Field NAS, while climbing, the seaplane stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. Five crew members were killed and six others were injured. Then airplane (VP-81) was engaged in a maritime patrol mission.