Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Gasmata: 9 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 8, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
A24-22
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
285
YOM:
1941
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.
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.
