Date & Time:
Dec 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
41-17862
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Narsarsuaq - Goose Bay
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Bluie West One (Narsarsuaq) Airfield on a flight to Goose Bay, returning to the US. Approaching the Canadian coast, weather conditions worsened and the crew decided to make an emergency landing near Saglek, Labrador. All seven crew members survived the accident. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination and after it was declared as missing, SAR operation were initiated but not trace of the airplane was found. The crew was eventually found on 9 April 1943, none of them survived the very low temperatures. It was later related that on 23 December, three crew members (Josephson, Janssen and Nolan) started south in a boat that was part of the aircraft emergency gear to find help but they were never seen again. The diary of the pilot shows the last entry in February 1943.
Crew:
Lt Grover C Hodge Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Paul F. Janssen, copilot,
2nd Lt Emanuel J. Josephson, navigator,
T/Sgt Charles F. Nolan, radio operator,
Sgt Russell Weyrauch, air gunner,
Cpl James J. Mangini Jr., air gunner,
Cpl Frank J. Galm, air gunner.
Crew:
Lt Grover C Hodge Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Paul F. Janssen, copilot,
2nd Lt Emanuel J. Josephson, navigator,
T/Sgt Charles F. Nolan, radio operator,
Sgt Russell Weyrauch, air gunner,
Cpl James J. Mangini Jr., air gunner,
Cpl Frank J. Galm, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing due to poor weather conditions.
