1943 — Jan 18, USAAF C-87 Liberator Express missing, Atlantic, off Natal, Brazil    —     26

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 5-18-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–26  Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1943. USAAF 41-11708.

–26  Baugher, Joe. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-6722 to 41-13296). 4-11-2023 revision.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1943. USAAF 41-11708:

“Date:                          Monday 18 January 1943

“Type:                         Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

“Owner/operator:        United States Army Air Force – USAAF

“Registration:              41-11708

:MSN:                         204

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 26 / Occupants: 26

“Aircraft damage:       Aircraft missing, written off

”Category:                   Accident

“Location:                   off Natal, Brazil

“Phase:                        En route

“Nature:                      Military

“Departure airport:      Accra-Kotoka Airport (ACC/DGAA)

“Destination airport:   Natal Airport, RN (NAT/SBNT) [Brazil]

“Narrative:

“The aircraft disappeared off Brazilian coast while enroute from Accra, Ghana to Natal, Brazil.
A wide search for the plane was conducted and was abandoned January 29. On February 4, 1943 a life raft was found at sea by the U.S. Destroyer Kearney about 60 miles due East of Recife, Brazil with the body of one passenger. On February 5, 1943 another life raft was found on the beach of Ponte Negra, Brazil. It contained the remains of Major Arthur Mills. Six life jackets were found in the raft indicating that there were originally six men in the raft.”

Baugher, Joe. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-6722 to 41-13296). 4-11-2023 revision:

“….Consolidated C-87-CF Liberator Express…Conversions from B-24Ds….11708 disappeared off Brazilian coast Jan 18, 1943 while enroute from Accra, Ghana to Natal, Brazil. 26 missing.”

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1943. USAAF 41-11708. Accessed 5-19-2024 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/341159

Baugher, Joe. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-6722 to 41-13296). 4-11-2023 revision. Accessed 5-19-2024 at: https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_2.html