Pitu - Pitu

On July 31, 1945 at 12:00 AM, Pitu - Pitu experienced a crash involving Consolidated B-24 Liberator, operated by Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF, with the event recorded near Halmahera Island Maluku.

The flight was categorized as bombing and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley 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 crew departed Pitu Airfield (Morotai Island) at 0800LT to attack Japanese antiaircraft positions located in Lolobata, on the neighboring island of Halmahera. As the aircraft failed to return at the end of the day, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended three days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Crew (21st Squadron): F/O Jack Bonfield Faviell, F/O William Joseph Stubbs, F/O Douglas Poultney Dewhurst, W/O Bruce Vaughton Peach, F/Sgt Neville Herbert Playford, F/Sgt Ronald Jack Walker, Sgt Gordon Malcolm Scott, F/Sgt Robert William Delahunt, F/Sgt Aubrey Edward Burgess.

Aircraft reference details include registration A72-66, MSN 5309.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 0.6536°, 127.9320°.