Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson VI in Ohakea AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1943 at 1720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2093
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ohakea - Ohakea
MSN:
414-6836
YOM:
1943
Location:
Ohakea AFB (Bulls)
Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons Regional Council)
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a night training flight. Shortly after take off, at low height, the aircraft stalled and hit the ground. It overrun, hit a perimeter fence and came to rest in flames. All three crew were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
S/L Wilfred Williams,
LAC Harold Beale,
Cpl Wilfred Gibbons.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA on Mt Kekneno: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-195
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
414-6459
YOM:
1942
Location:
Mt Kekneno
East Nusa Tenggara
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a bombing mission to Penfoei with a crew of five. En route, while cruising jointly with three other similar aircrafts, crew was informed that weather was deteriorating at destination. As all three other aircraft's crew decided to return to their departure point, captain of A16-195 decided to continue. Few minutes later, while cruising in low visibility due to poor weather conditions, aircraft hit mount Kekneno located some 100 km northeast of Kupang and was destroyed on impact. Debris were found some days later and all five crew were killed.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
S/L C. C. Williams, pilot,
F/O R. C. Lindsay, air gunner,
F/O W. A. Hepworth, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Lt A. M. Fowler, navigator,
F/Sgt D. C. Farmer.
Probable cause:
The pilot decided to continue the flight despite poor weather conditions and low visibility (below minima).

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III off Guadalcanal Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2033
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
414-3856
YOM:
1941
Location:
Guadalcanal Island
All Solomon Islands
Country:
Solomon Islands
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While flying along the coast of the Guadalcanal Island, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (3rd Squadron):
F/Lt Wilfred Rutherford,
F/O Vivian Eady,
Sgt Lisle Smith,
Sgt William Lankshear,
Sgt John McDougall.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I into Bass Strait: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-32
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sale - Sale
MSN:
414-1883
YOM:
1940
Location:
Bass Strait
All Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off at 1944LT to carry out practice DR9. This practice was a night flight from Base-Flinders-Currie-Hogan Group-Base. The aircraft was on wireless silence and failed to return. The maximum endurance of the aircraft was 7 hours. The aircraft failed to return and all searches have proved negative.
Crew:
P/O John James Bowman, pilot,
P/O Alan Joseph Malone, navigator,
P/O Harry Robert Alfred Guymer, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O Alexander Frederick McDonald, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O John Alexander Buchanan, air gunner.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson VI in Khartoum: 16 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
FK618
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Khartoum – Takoradi
MSN:
414-7094
YOM:
1943
Location:
Khartoum
Khartoum (الخرطوم)
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Khartoum Airport, while climbing, the twin engine airplane stalled and crashed in a desert area near the airport. The airplane was destroyed and all 16 occupants were killed. The flight, en route to Takoradi, was operated by BOAC on behalf of the Royal Air Force.
Crew:
Sgt C. M. Adams, pilot,
Sgt G. S. Antrobus, pilot,
Cpt M. F. Attwell.
Passengers:
Sgt A. L. Carruthers,
F/O J. I. Douglas,
Sgt J. S. Eason,
F/Sgt Walerian Mislag,
F/O C. S. Nicholls,
F/Sgt C. G. Pay,
W/O C. G. Pinkney,
F/Sgt H. Ross,
W/O J. E. Sendall,
Sgt V. Wade,
F/Lt J. J. Wojciechowski,
F/Sgt A. Wright,
F/Sgt G. J. Yule.
Probable cause:
It is possible that the aircraft was overloaded at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III off the Fiji Islands: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2025
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Nausori - Nausori
MSN:
414-3845
YOM:
1941
Location:
Pacific Ocean
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in an antisubmarine patrol flight off the Fiji Islands. After few hours of flight, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the ocean. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/O Alistair Parata,
Sgt Albert Moss,
W/O Egbert Willis,
F/Sgt George Billson,
Sgt Michael Horgan.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be established but it seems possible that it was the consequence of a double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were poor and the experience of the crew was limited, which was considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IV in Chiffa: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
FK535
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Blida - Blida
MSN:
414-7011
YOM:
1942
Location:
Chiffa
Blida
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight out from Blida Airfield. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane suffered an engine failure, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in Chiffa, 8 km west of Blida. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Alan Drysdale, pilot,
F/O Harold Gulbraa, navigator,
F/Sgt Cecil Francis Beitz, radio operator,
F/Sgt Ronald Alexander Kenneth Dettmann, radio operator.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed AT-18-LO Hudson in Laredo: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
42-55600
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
414-7322
YOM:
1943
Location:
Laredo
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 3 km north of Laredo Airport. All eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Frank W. McLin, pilot,
2nd Lt Norbert P. Woss, pilot.
Passengers:
Sgt Harold J. Ree,
Cpl George E. Fortado,
Cpl James W. Foust,
Pfc Julius Foreman,
Pfc Edward A. Forrest,
Pvt Bobby E. McGee.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson VI in Khartoum: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1943 at 0835 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
FK459
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Takoradi – Khartoum
MSN:
414-6935
YOM:
1943
Location:
Khartoum
Khartoum (الخرطوم)
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
On final approach to Khartoum Airport, at a height of about 800 feet, the crew completed a last turn to the left to join the glide when the airplane rolled to the left, stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. A passenger was seriously injured while all 16 other occupants were killed. The following day, the only survivor died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
P/O George Edward Harris, pilot,
Sgt James Lissett, copilot,
Sgt Brian James Cox, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
Sgt Douglas Elliott Guy Brown,
F/Sgt John Creighton,
W/O Neil Francis Gray,
F/Sgt Grochowski,
Sgt James Sidney Harris,
F/Sgt Albert Partington,
F/Sgt Samuel Leonard Pointon,
W/O Charles Matthew Raven,
S/L George Michael Roddy,
Sgt Ronald William Smith,
F/Sgt Stankowiak,
Francis Charles Tanner,
F/Sgt Tetnowsky,
W/O Tonczak.
Probable cause:
Fuel starvation, probably caused by a partial air lock due to surging of petrol in near empty tanks, was thought to have caused the port engine to cut during the last turn to the left.
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