Atlantic Ocean

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Schedule:

Accra – Georgetown – Natal

MSN:

204

YOM:

1941

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While overflying the Atlantic Ocean at night, on the leg from Georgetown (Ascension Island) to Natal, while on a flight from Accra to Natal, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea around 2300LT. SAR operations were conducted for several days but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Two life vests were discovered on a Brazilian beach few days later.
Crew:
Cpt Orval Eknes, pilot,
Cpt Felton B. Lancaster, copilot,
2nd Lt Joseph F. Peoples, navigator,
M/Sgt Alvin A. Young, radio operator,
M/Sgt Charles W. McKain,
Sgt James N. Clauss.
Passengers:
1st Lt John A. Byler,
1st Lt Hugh P. Minor,
Maj Arthur Mills,
Cpl Joseph P. Braniff,
Cpl Grover K. Trees,
Lt Col Russell Reed Brunner,
Col Douglas C. MacKeachie,
F/Lt H. J. Martin,
Sgt H. V. Lamb,
Sgt H. Warman,
R/O C. B. Berry,
Cdr D. H. Deburgh,
Cpt Paul Bleecker Makepeace,
P/O P. C. Zoephel,
P/O G. A. Clegg,
F/O N. P. Drury,
P/O W. T. B. Smithson,
Sgt J. L. Bell,
Cpt W. R. Nixon,
R/O O. C. McCombie.

Probable cause:

US military Authorities reported that at the time of the accident, whose causes remain unknown, weather conditions prevailing above the center of the Atlantic Ocean were marginal due to the presence of thick clouds and heavy rain falls. It is also reported that lifeboats were found on seas nearly 100 km east of Recife on February 4, 1943, with dead bodies on board. This means that some passengers escaped the accident and managed to take refuge in dinghies. Analyses carried out on the bodies determined that the last survivor died of fatigue, hunger and thirst on February 3, 1943, two weeks after the accident. Without concrete elements, no part of the aircraft having been found, investigators were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III into the Atlantic Ocean: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BK165

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

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The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2237LT on January 14 on an operation to Lorient. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the Atlantic Ocean or maybe The Channel. Lost without trace.
Crew.
P/O G. Milne, pilot,
P/O R. C. Richards,
Sgt J. A. Pollock,
P/O George Andrew McQuillin,
Sgt W. J. Sullivan,
Sgt A. R. Maddison, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

08097

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Quonset Point - Quonset Point

MSN:

916

YOM:

1941

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The seaplane departed Quonset Point NAS on a maritime patrol flight over the North Atlantic Ocean. It failed to return to base and was declared missing. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Lost without trace.
Crew (VP-31):
Pbc Will R. Bueche, pilot,
Cpt Arthur W. Quick, pilot,
Ens Emil Cortemiglia, navigator,
Amm2c Edward S. Cay, crew chief,
Amm3c Herbert O. Wiecher, mechanic,
Amm3. Harry H. Shaw, mechanic,
Rm2c Clinton R. Cook, radio operator,
Rm3c Albert M. Davidson, radio operator.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Atlantic Ocean: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

FH407

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Meteorological / Weather

Survivors:

Site:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Schedule:

Belfast - Belfast

MSN:

414-6697

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed Belfast-Aldergrove on a routine weather reconnaissance mission. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Samuel Ray Millar, pilot,
Sgt Philip Wadham Newbegin, navigator,
F/Sgt Cecil William Chatterley, wireless operator,
Sgt Sidney Edward English, air gunner.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5B Catalina into the Atlantic Ocean: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 25, 1942

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Registration:

FP266

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While on a transatlantic flight from Canada to UK, the seaplane failed to arrive at destination and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Lost without trace. Among the crew were two civilians, the pilot and the radio operator.
Crew:
Benson Hutches Pierce, pilot,
James Hamilton Auld, radio operator,
F/Sgt Douglas Oliver Bevan,
Sgt George Edward James Craven,
Sgt Roy Harding,
Sgt Reginald Edwin Thompson.

Crash of a Martin B-26B-1 Marauder into the Atlantic Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

41-17791

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Schedule:

Natal - Georgetown - Accra

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The airplane was on a transit flight from the US to Europe via Belém, Natal, Ascension Island and Africa. It departed Georgetown-Wideawake Field at 0706LT on the leg to Accra, Ghana. As it failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the airplane nor the crew was found. Lost without trace.
Crew.
1st Lt William R. Telesmanic,
2nd Lt Clayton R. Blessing,
S/Sgt Bruister H. LeNoir,
T/Sgt Joseph P. Hunter,
Pvt Duer R. Heyman.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

7245

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

MSN:

400

YOM:

1941

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While in a maritime patrol flight, the crew was forced to make an emergency landing following an engine failure. The airplane crash landed 210 km off Natal and sank. All eight crew members were quickly rescued by the crew of a British ship.
Crew:
Lt(jg) V. G. Hassell, pilot,
Ens D. McKee,
Ens Grover C. Rannever,
Amm1c Russell K. Gerahofer,
Amm3c James E. Duggan,
Amm2c G. Brownlee,
Amm3c Merrill E. Hewitt,
Amm3c Robert L. Sexman,
Sea2c Robert L. Reyff.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express into the Atlantic Ocean: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-11707

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Accra – Georgetown – Natal – Belém

MSN:

203

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Accra, GHana, on a transatlantic flight to Belém with intermediate stops in Georgetown (Ascension Island) and Natal. On the leg from Georgetown to Natal, the four engine aircraft crashed into the Atlantic ocean, some 410 km west of the Ascension Island. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The last radio contact with the crew was recorded at 0337LT. The crew was from TWA.

Crash of a Martin B-26B-1 Marauder into the Atlantic Ocean: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

41-17833

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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