Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in New Guinea: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1944 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-2464
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lae – Tadji – Biak
MSN:
2275
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Queenie' left Lae-Nadzab Airport at 0641LT bound for Mokmer Aerodrome (Biak Island) with a en route stop at Tadji Airfield. The aircraft failed to arrive and no trace of it nor the 19 occupants was ever found.
Crew:
Lt Col Walter P. Piehl, pilot,
Maj Alan C. Attebery, copilot,
S/Sgt Cortez A. Beal, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Henry Y. Willis, radio operator,
T/Sgt Edgar W. Elseman, crew chief.
Passengers:
Major Robert H. Barnes,
Major Victor De F. Henriques,
Captain Russell G. Helmer,
Captain Fred J. Lewis,
Captain Paul V. McKnight,
Captain Wendell Root,
1st Lt Winton D. Witmer,
2nd Lt John C. Campbell,
2nd Lt. Roland J. Hickey,
WO Dawson L. Hutchison,
S/Sgt August J. Bachor,
Sgt William R. Ray,
Cpl Noel L. Lowe,
PFC Clyde H. Hopkins Jr.
Source: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41-2464.html
Probable cause:
The cause of the dissapearance was unknown, but was reported that it might be lost due to "possible enemy antiaircraft fire or navigational circumstance".

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Java Sea: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-73
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1662
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a sea mining mission over the Java Sea when the crew radioed the aircraft was shot down. Both tanks were hit and the crew informed ground about his position off Surabaya. SAR did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the crew.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy action.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Sumatra

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Y-63
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
358
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a maritime patrol flight, the seaplane was shot down by a Japanese Nakajima Ki-27. The crew reduced his altitude in ditched the airplane off Sumatra. The airplane sank and all occupants survived.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Java

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2501
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2312
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a delivery flight. At the end of the mission, while overflying the Java Province, the bomber was attacked by enemy fire. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a paddy field. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all four occupants were uninjured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I off Sumatra: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1258
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Sumatra. Lost without trace.
Crew:
W/O Sidney Horace Stafford, pilot,
W/O Ronald Leslie Willmott, observer,
F/Sgt Francis John Hicks, wireless operator air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress into the Makassar Strait: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2476
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Malang - Malang
MSN:
2287
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Malang Airport on an operation to Balikpapan. While returning to base, it was attacked by Japanese fighters. Hit in the tail, the airplane lost 4,000 feet then entered a dive and crashed nose first in the Makassar Strait. No trace of the crew was ever found.
Crew:
2nd Lt William Troy Biggers,
2nd Lt Richard Wellington Cease,
S/Sgt J. Gordon Drake,
Cpl Cecil R. Hamman,
2nd Lt Jack Thomas Laughlin,
Pfc Charles T. Pritchard,
Lt Col Stanley Keith Robinson,
1st Lt Walter William Sparks Jr.,
Pfc Lloyd N. Terrell.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in the Sumba Strait

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A30-8
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Surabaya – Kupang
MSN:
1291
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On a flight from Surabaya to Kupang, while cruising along the Flores Island, the twin engine airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed in the Sumba Strait. All four crew members were rescued and transferred to Australia while the airplane sank and was lost.
Crew:
F/O Noel Wilson Webster,
F/Sgt Lionel Maurice Van Praag,
Sgt Eric Picker,
Cpl Frederick Christopher James Mason.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Dornier DO.24K-1 into the Karimata Strait: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X-15
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
775
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The seaplane was performing an evacuation operation when it probably crashed somewhere in the Karimata Strait. Lost without trace.

Crash of a Martin 166 WH-3 in Kalimantan: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
M-574
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tarakan - Samarinda
MSN:
810
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Tarakan on a flight to Samarinda, carrying a crew of five. It crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in a mountainous area of east Kalimantan. It was never recovered. All five crew members were killed.