CRASH OF A KITTYHAWK
OFF EAST COAST OF CAPE YORK
NEAR PRINCESS CHARLOTTE BAY
ON 11 SEPTEMBER 1942

On 11 September 1942, 2nd Lieutenant Robert G. "Bob" Hazard (O-427563) of the 7th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group, USAAF, was on a ferry flight from Cairns in Kittyhawk P-40E, #41-24874 with other aircraft of the 7th Fighter Squadron for Horn Island and eventually New Guinea. Lt. Hazard's engine failed and his plane fell back from the formation and began losing altitude. At about 100 feet it made a steep dive into Princess Charlotte Bay.

Members of his flight saw his aircraft strike the water. The rest of the flight searched for Lt. Hazard but he was not found. A search of the coastline of Princess Charlotte Bay found no trace of Lt. Hazard.

The aircraft was condemned and written off.

The American Battle Monuments Commission home page shows the following information for a Robert G. Hazard:-

Robert G. Hazard

First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

O-427563

7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group

Entered the Service from: California
Died: September 12, 1942
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines 

NOTE:- The MACR records for this crash show two dates for this crash. The 11th September and the 12th September 1942.

NOTE:- The Book "Protect and Avenge" incorrectly indicates that Lt. Bob Hazard had collided with a Lockheed C-40 at Batchelor Airfield in the Northern Territory on 29 April 1942 and slammed into a group of people nearby killing War Correspondent Mel Jacoby and "jeep driver" 2nd Lt. Robert S. Jasper and seriously injuring General Hal George who died from his injuries the following day.

Has this wreck been found yet?

REFERENCE

"Protect & Avenge"
"The 49th Fighter Group in World War II"
By S.W. Ferguson & William K. Pascalis
A Schiffer Military History Book

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Gordon Birkett and Chris Money for their assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 16 July 2000

This page last updated 13 October 2025