Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell off Point Jahleel

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-133
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Darwin - Darwin
MSN:
87-7878
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a reconnaissance mission over the Kaimana Bay. While returning to base in Darwin, the twin engine airplane was attacked by the pilots of two Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. An oil line on the right engine was damaged so the right engine was cut. The captain was able to leave the combat area and while approaching the Australian coast, due to fuel exhaustion, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft off Point Jahleel, Melville Island. The airplane sank and was lost and all five crew members were rescued.
Crew (18th Squadron):
2nd Lt R. L. N. Swane, pilot,
1st Lt A. J. de Wolf, copilot,
2nd Lt C. E. Begeman, bombardier,
Sgt Rouvroye, radio navigator,
Sgt William Charles Donald Moore, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by two Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Darwin

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-11869
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Darwin - Darwin
MSN:
365
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During a reconnaissance mission, the airplane was attacked by Japanese fighters. While returning to base, it crashed upon landing at Darwin Airport and was damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities among the crew.
Probable cause:
Badly shot about by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-53-CO Liberator near Biloela: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-40387
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Darwin - Brisbane
MSN:
1464
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed Darwin Airport at 2200LT on a flight to Brisbane. It failed to arrive at destination and was declared missing. No trace of the airplane was located until 2 August 1994, when the wreckage was found by a park ranger in the Kroombit Tops National Park, some 42 km east of Biloela.
Crew:
1st Lt William E. McDaniel,
2nd Lt Jack W. Owen,
2nd Lt Hilary E. Routt,
2nd Lt Eugene A. Kilcheski,
F/O B. A. A. Cannon,
F/Lt T. J. D. Cooke,
T/Sgt Harold J. Lemons,
T/Sgt Raymond L. Tucker.

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell into the Timor Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943 at 1130 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N5-144
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Darwin - Darwin
MSN:
87-7882
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a bombing mission over Dili. Approaching the target area, it was attacked by few Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Two crew members, among them the pilot, were killed and the aircraft was hit on the right engine and tail. The crew was able to leave the combat area but was eventually forced to ditch the airplane into the Timor Sea, some 225 km south of Dili. The airplane sank and was lost while four crew members were rescued a day later by an Australian destroyer.
Crew (18th Squadron):
2nd Lt B. J. Grummels, pilot, †
Ens C. M. Fisscher, copilot,
Cpl Van Der Weert, radio operator,
Sgt Hoek, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Ronald Stuart Horridge, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Robert Gordon Tyler, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA near Kupang: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-243
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Darwin – Kupang
MSN:
414-6496
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Missing in the region of Kupang, Indonesia, while performing a survey flight from Darwin to Kupang. SAR operations failed to find any trace of the aircraft nor its crew.
Crew (13th Squadron):
P/O J. E. Alcock,
F/O G. V. Boynton,
F/O P. C. Gunson,
Sgt F. P. Kemp,
Sgt W. S. Powell.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA off Saumlaki: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-234
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Darwin - Darwin
MSN:
414-6502
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Darwin on a maritime patrol flight over the Arafura Sea when it crashed into the sea off Saumlaki, Pulau Jamdena Island. All four crew were killed.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/O Robert C. Muecke,
F/O Frank S. Moss,
P/O Lloyd M. Miners,
Sgt James E. Laman.
Probable cause:
An unconfirmed report says the accident was the result of an inflight collision with a Japanese seaplane.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Timor Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-182
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Darwin – Kupang
MSN:
414-6354
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea of Timor while on a flight from Darwin to Kupang. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/Lt Roger Joseph Blanchard, pilot,
Sgt Oberlin Benjamin Plester Gray, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt David Jacobs,
Sgt David Vynne Woods.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-WF62 Super Electra near Pine Creek: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-ADY
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Brisbane – Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor – Darwin
MSN:
1498
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
On the last leg to Darwin, the crew lost his orientation while cruising in rain falls and night. Due to poor visibility, the crew was unable to locate the airport of Darwin and continued over the sea. Few minutes later, pilots realized they were flying over the sea and returned to the continent but could not see the city of Darwin nor its airport. The crew informed ATC he was low of fuel and wanted to land shortly when the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Annaburroo Station, in the region of Pine Creek. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the occupants was found. The burnt wreckage and all 12 dead bodies were found on June 30, 1942, in an isolated area. The occupants were two pilots and 10 US soldiers. The aircraft was built in May 1939 and delivered to Guinea Airways on June 9, 1940.
Crew:
F/Lt Duncan Gordon Cameron, pilot,
F/O William Thomas Gray, pilot.
Passengers:
Pvt William V. Bedford,
Cpl Anthony A. Gattamelata,
Pvt Robert W. George,
Pvt Nick Hinich,
Cpl Ray E. Love,
Pvt John J. Faris,
Pvt Walter M. Feret,
Pvt Richard D. Schmidt,
Pvt Burford H. Willard,
Pvt Wyatt H. Wyley.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew lost his orientation due to the failure of both radio compass while flying at night and in poor weather conditions (rain falls). Due to low visibility, the crew was unable to establish his real position and to locate the Darwin's Airfield.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IVA off Kupang: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-137
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Darwin – Kupang
MSN:
414-6066
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Darwin Airport at 0315LT bound for Kupang. While approaching the destination, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All four occupants were killed.
Crew (13th Squadron):
P/O Albert James Verdon Lockley,
P/O Patrick Goulston Taylor,
Sgt Kenneth Arthur Orchard,
Sgt Donald Thomas Thomson.

Crash of a Mitsubishi G4M1 off Darwin: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T-361
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kupang - Kupang
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea west of Darwin, killing the entire crew.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.