Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc near Fritch: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
40-86
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Fritch
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While flying low, the airplane collided with the cable of a telephone line and crashed in a cliff located 8 km north of Fritch. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III in Oran: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1943 at 1425 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
U-221
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
6
YOM:
1940
Location:
Oran-Ahmed-Ben-Bella (Es Senia)
Oran
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Oran-Es Senia Airport on a special flight, carrying five crew members and a load of military mail and sleeping equipment. Shortly after takeoff, a cockpit window opened accidentally, causing two luggage to be thrown out. The pilot decided to make a left hand circuit around the airfield at a height of 100 metres. On final approach, while completing a left turn at low speed, in a gear down and flaps up configuration, the airplane stalled and crashed in a 30° angle short of runway. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Jean-Marie Bourhis, pilot,
Lt Alexis Baretge, navigator,
Lt Jean Lautecaze, flight engineer,
Sgt/C Robert Renno, flight engineer,
Adj Jean Lalanne, air gunner.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident may have been caused by a sudden loss of power on the left engine while the pilot was completing a turn to the left in an attempt to land. The position of the controls and the steering damper are clear evidence of this. The pilot accumulated more than 50 hours during the last three months on this type of airplane.

Crash of a Douglas A-20B-DL Havoc near Ulakhan-Chistay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
41-3622
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Seymchan - Yakutsk
MSN:
5952
YOM:
1941
Location:
Sasyr
Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a delivery process and departed Seymchan on a flight to Yakutsk. About 15 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The navigator bailed out and was found alive while both other crew members were killed when the airplane crashed 20 km northwest from the village of Ulakhan-Chistay (today Sasyr).
Crew:
S/Lt Yakov Yakovlevich Cherednichenko, pilot,
Pvt Ivan Yakovlevich Zhitin, radio operator.
Probable cause:
The decision of the pilot to continue the flight in poor weather conditions and his failure to return to the departure airfield as ordered by the chief of the group.

Crash of a Douglas A-20 Havoc in Starke

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
AL353
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Starke
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in Starke following a midair collision. A crew was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Albert J. Posey.

Crash of a Douglas A-20C-5-DO Havoc in Muskogee: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
42-33139
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Muskogee - Muskogee
MSN:
6601
YOM:
1941
Location:
Muskogee-Davis
Oklahoma
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances at Muskogee Airfield. The pilot was killed.
Crew.
2nd Lt Tad Blackston, pilot.

Crash of a Douglas A-20C-5-DO Havoc in Goodnight: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
42-33162
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
6624
YOM:
1941
Location:
Goodnight
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Probable cause:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. A crew was killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Eugene S. Hulette.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc in Muskogee

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
40-122
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Muskogee
Oklahoma
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 5 km north of Muskogee Airport. There were no fatalities.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston IIIA at RAF Great Massingham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1943 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
BZ324
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
MSN:
7618
YOM:
1941
Location:
Great Massingham AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Great Massingham, while on a local training exercise, the airplane went out of control and crashed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crew:
Lt G. A. A. de Gramont, pilot.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III in Évreux: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1943 at 2311 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
W8325
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bradwell Bay - Bradwell Bay
Location:
Évreux-Saint-André AFB
Eure
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bradwell Bay at 2202LT on an operation to Melun and Brétigny. Over Évreux-Saint-André AFB, it collided with a German Air Force Do.217 registered U5+TW and carrying three crew members. Following the collision, both airplanes came down on the edge of the airfield and were destroyed by a post crash fire. All six crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
S/L Hugh Drummond Venables,
F/O Henry Douglas Baker,
F/O Donald James McKay.

Crash of a Douglas P-70 Havoc in Haines City: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
39-752
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Haines City
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing both crew members.
Crew:
1st Lt Benjamin M. Morehouse,
2nd Lt James E. Giellum.
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