Region
Oceania

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Antil Plains

Date & Time: May 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
40-1477
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1477
YOM:
1940
Location:
Antil Plains
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing on a soggy field at Antil Plains, 20 km south of Townsville, the airplane lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Failure of the undercarriage while landing on a soggy airstrip.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I off Seaspray: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
BM711
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sale - Sale
MSN:
PAC.366
YOM:
1941
Location:
Seaspray
Victoria
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training sortie out from Sale Airport. While cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine airplane entered a right turn then an uncontrolled descent until it crashed into the sea 8 km northeast of Seaspray. The wreckage was found some 400 metres offshore and all three crew members were killed.
Crew (3rd BGS):
F/Sgt Harry Alleyn Francis Dickinson,
Lac Vivian Arthur Westcott,
Lac Maurice White.
Probable cause:
Loss of control for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina in the Exmouth Gulf: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
08229
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1123
YOM:
1941
Location:
Exmouth Gulf
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Exmouth Gulf. Four crew members were killed and four others were injured. Operated by VP-FAW-10.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA on Crocodile Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1943 at 0615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-183
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Millingimbi - Timoeka
MSN:
414-6355
YOM:
1941
Location:
Milingimbi
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The Hudson IIIA registered A16-183 was involved in a reconnaissance mission over Timoeka and departed Milingimbi Airfield at 0611LT along with another RAAF Hudson IIIA registered A16-197. Both aircraft were carrying 5 crew members. Four minutes after takeoff, while climbing, both airplanes collided and crashed on Crocodile Island, northwest of Milingimbi Airport. Both wreckage were found 600 metres from each other and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/O K. R. Mills,
F/O R. E. John,
Sgt H. H. Hadley,
Sgt J. L. Barnes,
Sgt T. W. Bassen.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA on Crocodile Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1943 at 0615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
A16-197
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Milingimbi - Timoeka
MSN:
414-6462
YOM:
1942
Location:
Milingimbi
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The Hudson IIIA registered A16-197 was involved in a reconnaissance mission over Timoeka and departed Milingimbi Airfield at 0611LT along with another RAAF Hudson IIIA registered A16-183. Both aircraft were carrying 5 crew members. Four minutes after takeoff, while climbing, both airplanes collided and crashed on Crocodile Island, northwest of Milingimbi Airport. Both wreckage were found 600 metres from each other and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
F/O K. E. Daniel,
F/O J. Laws,
Sgt W. J. Gove,
Sgt Wilson,
Sgt J. G. Butler.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon in the Burragorang Valley: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 1007 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.84 Dragon
Operator:
Registration:
A34-47
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Sydney – Wagga Wagga
MSN:
2036
YOM:
1943
Location:
Burragorang Valley
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane disappeared on a flight from Sydney-Mascot to Wagga Wagga Airport (RAAF Forest Hill). Large air and ground search operations were conducted but not trace of the airplane nor the occupants was ever found. It is believed that the airplane may have crashed in the Burragorang Valley, and could possibly be submerged under the waters of Warragamba Dam.
Crew (34th Squadron):
Sgt Douglas Brian Doyle, pilot,
Sgt Francis Joseph Doyle, copilot,
F/O Geoffrey Hugh Lester.
1st Lt Cecil Joseph Umstead, USMCR,
1st Lt Horace Albert Teague, USMCR.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Cairns: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-36
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cairns - Cairns
MSN:
1084
YOM:
1941
Location:
Cairns
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful night anti-submarine mission off the Australian coast, the crew was returning to base after a 23 hours and 23 minutes flight. On approach to Cairns' harbor, the seaplane stalled and crashed into the sea. Six crew members were killed and two others were rescued. The aircraft was lost but later converted to ground training aid.
Crew:
F/Lt Arnold Hinchcliffe, pilot, †
Sgt Len Carr, pilot, †
Sgt Harold McGillivary, flight engineer, †
Lac Malcolm F. Merrett, assistant to flight engineer, †
P/O Leslie L. Henstridge, navigator, †
Sgt Geoff Suckling, radio operator,
Sgt James N. S. Lahey, rigger, †
Lac Murray Byham, armourer.
Probable cause:
It appears that the loss of control on approach was caused by a double engine failure due to a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Rathmines

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-16
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
332
YOM:
1941
Location:
Rathmines
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Water looped on landing and damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort VII in Bairnsdale

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1943 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
A9-153
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bairnsdale - Bairnsdale
MSN:
153
YOM:
1942
Location:
Bairnsdale
Victoria
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a night training exercise at Bairnsdale Airfield. Just after takeoff, the airplane stalled and crash landed, bursting into flames. All four crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O G. F. Gadson, pilot,
Sgt K. A. Jolly,
Sgt J. Williams,
Sgt M. R. Laundrey.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Gulf of Carpentaria: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1943 at 0216 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-41
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cairns - Cairns
MSN:
1098
YOM:
1941
Location:
Gulf of Carpentaria
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The seaplane departed Cairns at 1505LT on April 7 on an anti-submarine patrol flight off the Australian coast. The following night, the captain declared an emergency and reported a fire on board. SAR operations were conducted over the Gulf of Carpentaria and only a fuel leak was found on the water surface. No trace of the airplane nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt Clement William Haydon, pilot,
Sgt Lawrence Neild Oppy, pilot,
F/O Leopold Albert Elkington, pilot,
Cpl Noel Clifford Marshall, flight engineer,
Cpl Malcolm James Mutton, flight engineer,
F/O John Goulburn Lancaster, navigator,
F/O James David Fisk, navigator,
F/Sgt Leonard George Adamson, wireless operator,
Sgt Derek Alan Wray, wireless operator,
Lac James Augustus Scott, rigger,
Cpl William Ivan Myers, armourer.
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