N5-133

On March 30, 1943 at 12:00 AM, N5-133 experienced a crash involving North American B-25 Mitchell, operated by Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force - ML-KNIL, with the event recorded near Melville Island Northern Territory.

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

5 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 5 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. The crew was performing a reconnaissance mission over the Kaimana Bay. While returning to its base, the twin engine aircraft was attacked by the pilots of two Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. An oil line on the right engine was damaged so the right engine was cut. The captain was able to leave the combat area and decided to divert to Darwin. While approaching the Australian coast, due to fuel shortage, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft off Point Jahleel, on Melville Island. While the aircraft sunk and was lost, all five crew members were rescued. Crew (18th Squadron): 2nd Lt R. L. N. Swane, pilot, 1st Lt A. J. de Wolf, copilot, 2nd Lt C. E. Begeman, bombardier, Sgt Rouvroye, radio navigator, Sgt William Charles Donald Moore, air gunner.

Aircraft reference details include registration N5-133, MSN 87-7878.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -11.5522°, 130.9727°.