Enemy action indirectly caused a fatal wartime aircraft crash near Tantanoola exactly 80 years ago.

A Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F.) Avro Anson AW 849 crashed and burned 8km west of Tantanoola after returning from a mission searching for an enemy submarine on October 14, 1942.

The aircraft was returning from an intensive sea search operation following the report of a sighting of an enemy submarine in the Southern Ocean.

The crew were attached to 2 Air Observation School and based at the RAAF station in Laverton, Victoria.

The twin-engined aircraft crashed after running out of fuel due to a navigation error.

The two crew members parachuted to safety, but the pilot, Flying Officer Baxter Watson, was killed in the crash.

The site is on land owned by the Baker family.

The body of Flying Officer Watson was returned to Sydney in his home state of New South Wales for burial.His supreme sacrifice is commemorated at the Manly war memorial and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

The Tantanoola community erected a plaque in honour of the three airmen 15 years ago and it is located in the central parklands near the heritage-listed railway station.

The two surviving crew remained in the RAAF until the end of World War 11.

Sergeant Richard Leonidas Ayers was the wireless air gunner. He had baled out but was injured,

Sgt Ayres later returned to active service, was commissioned and promoted to Flying Officer.

Sergeant John Harding Carroll was the observer and he baled out safely.

Sgt Carroll was also later commissioned, promoted to Flying Officer and won the Distinguished Flying Cross for action in combat.