ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 263218
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| Date: | Tuesday 19 October 1943 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Bristol Beaufighter Mk Ic |
| Owner/operator: | 31 (City of Wagga Wagga) Sqn RAAF |
| Registration: | A19-17 |
| MSN: | ex.T4947 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Missing - Arafur Sea -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAAF Coomalie Creek, NT |
Beaufighter A19-17 (ex.T4947) Crashed into the ocean returning from operations Trangan Aru Island. 19.10.1943
Beaufighter A19-17, one of 8 Beaufighters that raided a newly constructed Trangan airstrip near Taberfane seaplane base was seen to be lagging behind after leaving the target area. Dropping alongside A19-17, the CO (W/Cdr Mann) saw the navigator leaning over the slumped and wounded pilot, handling the controls. The Navigator was ordered to bailout immediately, and await rescue by a Catalina, because it was impossible to reach the foot operated rudder controls to stop the Beaufighter from entering a spiral dive. The Navigator refused to abandon the unconscious pilot and soon after A19-17's starboard wing dropped and, with one arm around the pilot, he waved a final farewell.
Squadron report says 6 Beaufighters on the strike, 1 (F/O Hansen) of which returned early (with engine trouble), the other aircraft of the section, S/Ldr R L Gordon (in A19-36) and F/Sgt V T Warren (in A19-51) noticing A19-17 was lagging turned back to join Cridland who was flying at 140 knots at 1,500 feet. After proceeding for some time Gordon's navigator (Sgt Jordan) reported that A19-17 was acting in a peculiar manner and that the navigator was up front, a short time later reporting A19-17 had dived almost into the sea then just after saying it had crashed. The other aircraft circled the position for 8 minutes, observing debris and the dingy but not seeing any survivors.
Crew:
F/O (Aus.413534) Francis Herbert CRIDLAND (pilot) RAAF - killed
P/O (Aus.415861) Raymond Baudoin De PIERRES (nav.) RAAF - killed
Sources:
http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a19.htm
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/
http://www.beaufighter30squadronraaf.com.au/s%20bio's.html
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 6 August 1942 | A19-17 | 30 (City of Sale) Sqn RAAF | 0 | RAAF Richmond, 50 km north-west of Sydney, New South Wales. | |
min |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-May-2021 14:57 | Nepa | Added [Operator] |
| 26-Nov-2021 00:39 | Ron Averes | Updated [Damage] |
| 09-Jun-2022 18:10 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Damage, Narrative, Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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