6 fatalities

Aircraft shot down during bombing raid off Timor (N5-162)

Timor Leste, Timor LesteFlight

On June 23, 1944, a North American B-25 Mitchell (registration N5-162) operated by Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force - ML-KNIL was involved in an aviation accident near Timor Leste, Timor Leste in flight. 6 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was shot down by enemy fire while on a bombing raid. 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 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft was hit by enemy fire while conducting a bombing mission and crashed into the sea near Timor, resulting in the deaths of all six crew members.

What happened

During a bombing raid, the aircraft came under attack from opposing forces. The airframe sustained damage from enemy fire that rendered it uncontrollable or caused catastrophic structural failure. Unable to recover, the plane descended into the ocean waters located off the coast of Timor. The impact with the sea was fatal for everyone on board.

Findings

The official investigation concluded that the loss of the aircraft was directly attributable to combat actions. The primary factor leading to the crash was the engagement by hostile forces, which resulted in the downing of the plane during its operational mission. All six crew members perished in the incident.

Probable cause

The aircraft was shot down by enemy fire while on a bombing raid.