N5-144

On February 18, 1943 at 12:00 AM, N5-144 experienced a crash involving North American B-25 Mitchell, operated by Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force - ML-KNIL, with the event recorded near Timor Sea All World.

The flight was categorized as bombing and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 33.3%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. The aircraft was engaged in a bombing mission over Dili. Approaching the target, the aircraft was attacked by few Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Two crew members, among them the pilot, were killed and the aircraft was hit on the right engine and the tail as well. The crew was able to leave the combat area but was eventually forced to ditch the aircraft into the Timor Sea, some 150 miles south of Dili. The aircraft sunk and was lost while four crew members were rescued a day later by an Australian destroyer. Crew (18th Squadron): 2nd Lt B. J. Grummels, pilot, † C. M. Fisscher, copilot, Cpl Van Der Weert, radio operator, Sgt Hoek, flight engineer, F/Sgt Ronald Stuart Horridge, wireless operator and air gunner, Sgt Robert Gordon Tyler, wireless operator and air gunner. †

Aircraft reference details include registration N5-144, MSN 87-7882, year of manufacture 1941.