Date & Time:
Jun 27, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2025
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Nausori - Nausori
MSN:
414-3845
YOM:
1941
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in an antisubmarine patrol flight off the Fiji Islands. After few hours of flight, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the ocean. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/O Alistair Parata,
Sgt Albert Moss,
W/O Egbert Willis,
F/Sgt George Billson,
Sgt Michael Horgan.
Crew (4th Squadron):
F/O Alistair Parata,
Sgt Albert Moss,
W/O Egbert Willis,
F/Sgt George Billson,
Sgt Michael Horgan.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be established but it seems possible that it was the consequence of a double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were poor and the experience of the crew was limited, which was considered as contributing factors.
