41-23903

On February 7, 1943 at 09:00 PM, 41-23903 experienced a crash involving Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express, operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF, with the event recorded near Topham, Canton Island All Kiribati.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

21 people were known to be on board, 18 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 85.7%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 16, passenger fatalities: 14, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. On final approach to Topham Airfield (Canton Island), by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in to the sea few hundred yards off shore. 18 occupants were killed while three others were rescued. The flight was operated by a United Airlines crew on behalf of the Air Transport Command (ATC). Source: ASN

Aircraft reference details include registration 41-23903, MSN 698.