Pouembout - Pouembout

The aircraft left Pouembout-Plaine des Gaiacs AFB (New Caledonia) on a maritime patrol flight over the Solomon Islands. While cruising off the Rendova Island, the crew intercepted a Japanese flying boat but was shot down and crashed into the sea. 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.

Flight / Schedule

Pouembout - Pouembout

Registration

41-9071

MSN

2543

Year of Manufacture

1941

Date

September 6, 1942 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Rendova Island All Solomon Islands

Region

Oceania • Solomon Islands

Crash Cause

Terrorism act, Hijacking, Sabotage

Narrative Report

On September 6, 1942 at 12:00 AM, Pouembout - Pouembout experienced a crash involving Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF, with the event recorded near Rendova Island All Solomon Islands.

The flight was categorized as survey / patrol / reconnaissance and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

9 people were known to be on board, 9 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 9, crew fatalities: 9, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. The aircraft left Pouembout-Plaine des Gaiacs AFB (New Caledonia) on a maritime patrol flight over the Solomon Islands. While cruising off the Rendova Island, the crew intercepted a Japanese flying boat but was shot down and crashed into the sea. 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.

Aircraft reference details include registration 41-9071, MSN 2543, year of manufacture 1941.

Fatalities

Total

9

Crew

9

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The aircraft left Pouembout-Plaine des Gaiacs AFB (New Caledonia) on a maritime patrol flight over the Solomon Islands. While cruising off the Rendova Island, the crew intercepted a Japanese flying boat but was shot down and crashed into the sea. 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.

Cause: Terrorism act, Hijacking, Sabotage

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

9

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 9

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Pouembout - Pouembout

Flight Type

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

Oceania • Solomon Islands

Aircraft Details

Registration

41-9071

MSN

2543

Year of Manufacture

1941

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