Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine aircraft left Nausori Airport at 0600LT with five other similar aircraft bound for Whenuapai, in New Zealand. En route, the weather conditions worsened and while in a thick cloud layer, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were conducted for almost a week but no trace of the aircraft nor the seven crew members was ever found.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/Lt Wilbur Lange,
Sgt George Bryant,
P/O Kenneth Ross,
F/O Sydney Aldridge,
P/O Kenneth Marshall,
F/O Jack Olson,
F/O David Stewart.

Ground accident of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Casablanca

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-96530

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

30192

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The mishap occurred in unknown circumstances during taxiing at Casablanca-Cazes Airport. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Chad: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

41-38584

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Maiduguri – Geneina

MSN:

4533

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft disappeared en route from Maiduguri to Geneina, Sudan. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It is believed the aircraft may have crash in the Chad desert or in the northwest of Nigeria.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in RAF Warton

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Noorduyn Norseman

Operator:

Registration:

43-5340

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Liverpool - Warton

MSN:

331

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On landing, the single engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a USAF parked P-47. Both aircraft were destroyed in the collision and all eight occupants on board the Norseman were injured. At the time of the accident, there was a cross wind up to 7 knots.

Crash of a Focke-Wulf Fw.200C-5 Condor in Malvik: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1944 at 1050 LT

Type of aircraft:

Focke-Wulf Fw.200 Condor

Operator:

Registration:

F8+CD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

0218

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after take off from Trondheim-Vaernes Airport, while climbing, the four engine aircraft was too low and hit with one of its wing a mountain located near Malvik, east of Trondheim, and crashed. Seven crew members were killed while two others were able to walk away.
Crew (8./III./KG 40):
Lt Karl Markert, †
Obltn Rudolf Biberger, †
Uffz Helmut Meyer, †
Uffz Erich Pfeifer, †
Uffz Frido-Max Sander, †
Uffz Heinz Neubauer, †
Prüfm Gustav Walther, †
Obrgfr Horst Thelemann,
Obrgfr Walter Küster.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-155-CO Liberator in Thorpe Abbotts

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

44-40295

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

4229

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew encountered technical problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field. On touch down, the left main gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest in Thorpe Abbotts, some 30 km south of Norwich, Norfolk. All occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL in Memphis: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1944 at 1256 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-15598

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Memphis – Chickasha

MSN:

20064

YOM:

1944

Location:

Memphis

Tennessee

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During takeoff from Memphis Municipal Airport the copilot mistook the captains hand gesture for a command to raise the undercarriage. The engineer immediately tried to pull the landing gear lever to the neutral position, but the airplane already banked left because of the left hand main gear had started to retract. The nr.1 propeller struck the runway, causing one of the blades to separate. The blade cut through the fuselage near the flight deck, causing considerable damage. A fire erupted due to ruptured hydraulic lines and shorted electrical circuits. It came to rest off the side of the runway. All on board, except for the captain, got out safely.

Probable cause:

Misinterpretation and wrong handling on part of the copilot during takeoff.