5 fatalities

Anson crash into sea off Saltspring Island during SAR operation (R3431)

Saltspring Island, CanadaFlight

On December 17, 1942, an Avro 652 Anson (registration R3431) operated by Royal Canadian Air Force - RCAF was involved in an aviation accident near Saltspring Island, Canada in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause of the accident could not be determined. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A military Anson aircraft crashed into the ocean near Saltspring Island while conducting a search and rescue mission, resulting in the deaths of all five crew members aboard.

What happened

The flight departed from Patricia Bay at 0930 local time with the objective of participating in a search and rescue operation. The mission was initiated after another aircraft, an Anson registered N9560, had been reported missing since the previous day. During this sortie, the subject aircraft encountered unknown circumstances that led to a crash into the sea off the coast of Saltspring Island. The impact resulted in the loss of all five crew members on board.

Findings

Investigations into the incident concluded that the specific cause of the accident could not be determined. No definitive contributing factors or mechanical failures were identified in the official findings.