Date:	Tuesday 5 May 1942
Time:	10:09
Type:	Curtiss SOC-3 Seagull
Owner/operator:	USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37), US Navy
Registration:	1106
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	At Sea, N of Öxarfjörður -   Iceland
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
On 5 May 1942, the US Navy TF 99 was north of Iceland, en route to Hvalfjordur, Iceland, on return of operations with the British Battle Fleet to cover a convoy sailing to USSR.

At 1009 hrs this morning, the SOC-3 Buno 1106 of the cruiser USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) attempted to land astern of the ship to be recovered using "Cast" method, but crashed and capsized north of Öxarfjörður, northern Iceland. Both the pilot and the radioman climbed clear of the plane. Under adverse conditions due to the rough sea, the destroyer USS Plunkett launched a motorboat that rescued both men. Plunkett then was directed to destroy the plane which was carrying confidential publications. This was done by 20mm and .50 caliber fire.

War Diary USS Tuscaloosa, May 1942 (available online at https://www.fold3.com/image/267945713/war-diary-51-3142-page-10-us-world-war-ii-war-diaries-1941-1945)
War Diary USS Plunkett, May 1942 (available online at https://www.fold3.com/image/268002577/war-diary-51-3142-enc-a-page-7-us-world-war-ii-war-diaries-1941-1945)
https://stridsminjar.is/en/a-list-of-crash-sites-by-year/incidents-in-1942/89-seagull-north-of-oexarfjoerdhur-may-5-1942 (includes a map)
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/listPages/navy/asp/USN_Loss_1942.asp (gives date as 9 June, but is wrong: at this time these ships were in port in Iceland and there was no activity and no loss)
https://www.crouze.com/baugher/navy_serials/secondseries_01.html

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
11-Jul-2025 12:11	Laurent Rizzotti	Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative, ]