Cairo – Kisumu – Johannesburg

On December 19, 1942 at 12:00 AM, Cairo – Kisumu – Johannesburg experienced a crash involving Lockheed 18 LodeStar, operated by South African Air Force, with the event recorded near Kisumu Nyanza.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

12 people were known to be on board, 12 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 8, passenger fatalities: 8, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. After take off from Kisumu Airport, while climbing by night, the crew encountered technical problems to raise the undercarriage because an electrical failure occurred on the undercarriage safety lock circuit. The captain decided to return to Kisumu but the twin engine aircraft crashed into the gulf of Kavirondo, 13 km off Kisumu. All 12 occupants were killed. Crew (61st Squadron): Cpt J. D. Mail, Lt W. B. Lloyd, Sgt C. V. Flusk, Cpl LaFayette. Passengers: Maj Gen D. H. Pienaar , Col F. Theron, Lt/Col E. V. Frykberg, Lt/Col E. L. Mackenzie, Maj J. W. A. Bell, Maj F. Rawlins, Cpt P. Bairnsfather-Cloete, Sgt A. F. Weldon. Source: ASN

Aircraft reference details include registration 248, MSN 2057, year of manufacture 1941.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -0.1035°, 34.7518°.