Criminal Occurrence description
Last updated: 18 June 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 24 OCT 1944 |
| Type: | Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina |
| Operator: | Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF |
| Registration: | A24-100 |
| C/n / msn: | 1961 |
| First flight: | |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | off Makassar (Indonesia) |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | ? |
| ? |
The Consolidated Catalina flying boat A24-100 of 42 Squadron, RAAF, had completed a successful mine laying operation off Makassar (Celebes) Harbour on the night of 23 & 24 October 1944. The starboard engine of this aircraft was damaged by Japanese anti aircraft (AA) fire. Unable to maintain height on his return and with the second engine failing, the captain made a forced landing in the open sea south of the South Western Celebes Peninsula. He and his crew spent the next twelve hours on the water before a second Catalina arrived to rescue them.
After the disabled Catalina had been sunk by machine gun fire, the rescue Catalina took off and returned safely to Darwin.
Sources:
» Australian Military Aircraft Serials and Aircraft History web site
Photos
A24-100 at sea, prior to being sunk by machine gun fire.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
