FORCED LANDING OF A C-47A DAKOTA
ON NORFOLK ISLAND
ON 21 MAY 1944

On 21 May 1944 Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-47A Dakota, # 3516, of 40 Squadron RNZAF made a "forced landing" on Norfolk Island.

1st Pilot F/L W.R. Massey
2nd Pilot P/O E.R. Lloyd
Flight Engineer Sgt Bartlett

When 100 miles away from Norfolk Island, the port fuel pressure dropped, and then the starboard motor lost power. But both engines picked up and the plane landed with two engines.

W/O Norfolk thought that cabin tank cocks were left on after the main tanks were selected, so that after the 20 gallons in each cabin tank was used, then air entered the system. The Flight Engineer said he was unfamiliar with fuel system, and Massey failed to supervise him.

Changes were made to 40 Squadron practices to ensure that the flight engineer was checked out on each new type of plane.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

 NOTE:- Air files AIR vol 1 No 25/2/... in NZ National Archives, Wellington cover RNZAF accidents & crashes including WWII. They range from landing mishaps to writeoffs & missing planes. The details of this crash were in File 25/2/1544.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank John Wilson for his assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 26 December 2001

This page last updated 25 January 2020