14 February 1945 - Crash of a Liberator at Tocumwal, NSW

CRASH OF A LIBERATOR
AT TOCUMWAL, NSW
ON 14 FEBRUARY 1945

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RAAF, B-24L Liberator, A72-112, (#44-41664), of 7 Operational Training Unit (7 OTU) crashed at Tocumwal at approximately 2315 hours on 14 February 1945 while on a night-time cross-country training flight. The Liberator crashed one mile east of the runway.

Flying Officer G.M. Brugman and his crew from No. 8 Course had completed an 11.5 hour long range bombing exercise, and returned to Tocumwal at approximately 23:00 hours. The visibility was poor, varying between four and one and half miles in dust haze, and they over flew the airfield without seeing it on the first pass They were alerted to this by receiving a reciprocal D/F course.

They circled the area a number of times trying to find the airfield's flare path. Once sighted, they made several attempts to land, overshooting on each occasion. They were either not lined up correctly with the runway or were at too high an altitude. On their final approach the aircraft 'commenced to undulate violently and went into a spiral dive'.

Some of the findings of the Court of Inquiry were as follows:-

"That due to hitting severe air pockets close to the ground the aircraft lost considerable height and the pilot lost partial control of the aircraft."

"That whilst attempting to regain the normal flying attitude by reference to the turn and bank indicator and artificial horizon, the aircraft struck the ground with its port wing down."

"That owing to the poor visibility, it being a very black night with much dust haze, there was no natural horizon for the pilot to refer to whilst trying to bring the aircraft back to the straight and level position."

The starboard landing-gear was twisted around and all 4 engines were torn from the wings. Two of the crew, Warrant Officer A.L. Jones and Sergeant R.D. Johnston, DFC, died as a result of this crash. Details of deaths and injuries are shown below.

The crew were as follows:-

F/O Glen Mervyn Brugman (414758) - fractured left tibia and fibula - lacerations
W/O Allen Leslie Jones (14233) - killed
Sgt. Raymond Dalwood Johnston (445230) - died of injuries on 15 February 1945
Cpl. George Sutherland Rennie McLeod (15381) - Broken Nose & facial injuries, lacerated left thigh, colles fractured right wrist
Sgt. William George Hobbs (441074) - lacerated face and crushing injury to chest
W/O Norman Duncan Henderson (408819) - fractured right ankle and lacerated left knee
Sgt. Lelsie Herbert Brown (431694) - concussion and possible fracture of skull and lacerations
W/O Douglas Lloyd Simpson (402756) - lacerated scalp and knee
Sgt. John Arthur Wilson (431693) - shoulder injury right shoulder
W/O Keith Herman (415655) - compound dislocation of left thumb and bruises
Sgt. Donald Kirk MacKenzie (444953) - bruises and shock

This aircraft had been delivered in November 1944.

Photo:- NAA Barcode 707065