Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Gavutu Island

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
08136
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gavutu – Luganville
MSN:
1030
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a combat mission over the Gavutu Island, the seaplane was returning to its base in Luganville with 10 passengers and five crew members on board. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot initiated a sharp turn when both engines stopped. He attempted an emergency landing but the seaplane hit the water surface 1,2 km offshore and came to rest. All 15 occupants evacuate and were rescued while the airplane sank by a depth of 20 metres and was lost.
Crew (VP-44):
Lt Jarlath J. Lyons +4.
Probable cause:
Both engines failed during a sharp turn after water in the fuel tanks was sucked into the carburetors.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress off Pavuvu Island

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-9216
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2688
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Ditched into the sea off Pavuvu Island and lost. All crew members were rescued.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Honiara

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2037
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
414-6435
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Honiara-Henderson Field, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a parked B-24. All three crew members were slightly injured.

Crash of a Kawanishi H6K5 off Shortland Island: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Shortland Island - Shortland Island
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The seaplane was dispatched from Shortland Island Seaplane base to Choisel Island where Japanese pilots were awaiting to be rescued after being shot down by enemy fire. During the rescue operation, the seaplane was attacked by US fighter and was badly damaged. While returning to base, it sank upon landing and was lost. A crew member was killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a US fighter.

Crash of a Mitsubishi G4M off Vangunu Island

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1943 at 2305 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kavieng - Kavieng
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kavieng Airfield on an operation to Guadalcanal. In the late evening, while returning to base, the crew got lost and ditched the airplane off Vangunu Island. The airplane was lost and all seven crew members survived and were airlifted four days later.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Honiara

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2052
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
414-6611
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane ground looped while taking off from Honiara-Henderson Field and was damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA into the Rekata Bay: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2054
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-6613
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While overflying Rekata Bay, near Santa Isabel Island, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea near a Japanese Naval Air Station. All five occupants were killed. The wreckage was found in August 1945.
Crew (3rd Squadron):
F/Sgt Norman Newall,
Sgt Albert Mahony,
Sgt Henry Downard,
F/Sgt David Newlands,
Sgt Richard Andrew.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 off Honiara: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
4696
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Espiritu Santo - Honiara
MSN:
4303
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Espíritu Santo on a flight to Honiara, carrying four crew members and one passenger who was a US Navy corpsman attached to MAG-25. While descending to Henderson Field, the pilot encountered very bad weather conditions. In heavy rain falls, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea. No trace of the airplane nor its crew was found.
Crew:
1st Lt Joseph Napoleon Abel, pilot,
S/Sgt Arthur Freeman Dowers Jr., copilot,
Cpl Roman John Freise, mechanic,
Pfc John Robert Matuszak, radio operator.
Passenger:
PhM3c Paul Adolphus Westerman.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress off Shortland Island: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2420
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Honiara - Honiara
MSN:
2231
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew departed Honiara-Henderson Airfield to attack Japanese ships cruising off Shortland and Bougainville Islands. While approaching the target area, the airplane named 'Bessie The Jap Basher' was shot down by the pilots of Japanese fighters, crashed into the sea and sank by a depth of 30 metres off Shortland Island. Eight crew members were killed while the captain was rescued and later executed by Japanese soldiers.
Crew (11th BG):
1st Lt Charles E. Norton, pilot,
1st Lt Bruce S. Barker, copilot,
1st Lt Leo M. Eminger, navigator,
Sgt James R. Mathewson, bombardier,
S/Sgt Peter F. Novak, radio operator,
S/Sgt William L. Hotard, air gunner,
S/Sgt Fred S. Croyle, air gunner,
Sgt Bruce W. Osborne, air gunner,
Pfc Edward A. Carroll, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress on Rendova Island: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-9071
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pouembout - Pouembout
MSN:
2543
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Pouembout-Plaine des Gaiacs AFB (New Caledonia) on a maritime patrol flight over the Solomon Sea. While cruising off Rendova Island, the crew intercepted a Japanese flying boat but was shot down. The airplane entered a dive and crashed on Rendova Island. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (11th BG):
Cpt Robert H. Richards, pilot,
1st Lt Robert H. McGhee, copilot,
2nd Lt William F. B. Morris, navigator,
S/Sgt Charles E. Bayer, bombardier,
Cpl Otis O. Black Jr., flight engineer,
Cpl Yvon W. Bailey, assistant to the flight engineer,
Sgt Hugh M. King, radio operator,
Cpl Peter Charuk, air gunner,
Pvt William Omanoff, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.