Malacca Strait | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Malacca Strait. SAR operations were abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the five crew members was found.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D into the Malacca Strait: 17 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

PK-DPA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Medan – Ipoh – Kuala Lumpur – Jakarta

MSN:

42954

YOM:

1946

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Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Ipoh on a flight from Medan, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when control was lost. The aircraft crashed into the Malacca Strait, few km off shore, killing all 17 occupants.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 into the Malacca Strait: 21 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1946 at 0730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

MW125

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Northolt – Cairo – Calcutta – Penang – Singapore

MSN:

MW125

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Circumstances:

While flying over the Malacca Strait in poor weather conditions, while on a flight from Northolt to Singapore, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in to the sea about 100 miles west of Pulau Penang. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted and the crew of a RAF Short Sunderland spotted some debris few days later. Unfortunately, few pieces only were found and no trace of the 21 occupants that were considered as deceased. At the time of the accident, weather consisted of thunderstorm and turbulence.
Crew (511th Squadron):
F/Lt Donald Harold Courtenay, pilot,
F/O David John Johns, copilot,
F/O Wilfred Walter Armstrong, navigator,
A1C Francis Norman Beckett,
LAC Tom Bone,
W/O Raymond John Nicholas Bowerman,
A1C Ronald Charles Clarke,
LAC Donald Cowell,
LAC Maldwyn Wallace Davies,
A1C Francis Flood,
A2C George Albert Griffiths,
LAC Roy Leslie Mowser Stilwell,
F/Sgt Ivan Kendrick,
Cpl Ronald Kirk,
LAC James Frederick Latham,
F/Sgt John Johnston Leitch,
F/Lt Clifford James McPherson,
Sgt Timothy Christopher Murphy,
LAC Granville Reginald Pritchard,
W/O Leonard Sawkins,
A2C William Norman Westbury.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I into the Malacca Strait

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1131

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tengah - Tengah

MSN:

8414

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed RAF Tengah on a maritime patrol flight. En route, an engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the airplane into the Malacca Strait, some 130 km west of Penang. All three crew members were rescued.
Crew:
F/O C. H. Boxall, pilot,
Sgt L. Podger, observer,
LAC W. W. Martin, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.