FORCED LANDING AT SEA
OF A PBY-5 CATALINA
OFF AUSTRALIA, POSSIBLY WA
ON 19 APRIL 1942

On 19 April 1942 US Navy PBY-5 Catalina, BUNO #2418, of VP-101 was proceeding on patrol at about 250 feet in automatic lean mixture setting when the starboard engine sputtered and cut out. The mixture was changed to auto rich, but the engine did not retake. Due to the heavy load on board the aircraft, a forced landing was made in open and choppy seas. The investigation Board believed the engine failure was due to a shot of water in the fuel system and because of the low altitude of plane, corrective measures were not taken in time to prevent the forced landing.

Repairable damage:- Keel broken, stringers sprung, chine damaged, plating damaged, rivets popped and loosened between station's #6 & #7.

The crew were not injured:-

Pilot Ens Charles R. Dillon, AV-N USNR
Ens Harold M. Averback, AV-N USNR
CAP Deland C. Westfall
AMM2c David O'Hearn, Jr.
AMM3c Louis P. Fox
ARM1c Leroy Gassett
ARM2c Matthew E. Fay

The "War Diary - Commander Patrol Wing Ten" had the following entry:-

SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 1942.

Commander Patrol Wing Ten based Perth, Western Australia.

0700    Plane #7 in sector #4 was forced to land in 32-07S 115-13E.

0715    Dispatched aircraft and Corvette to above position. Corvette underway at 0850.

1060    Plane on water in tow 1845 - Plane moored at North Mole, Freemantle.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Gordon Birkett, Terence Geary and Greg Shea for their assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 8 July 2007

This page last updated 12 November 2023