Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On landing in Mauripur, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a hut. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VI in RAF North Luffenham

Date & Time: May 17, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII

Operator:

Registration:

PP373

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

North Luffenham - North Luffenham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll, clear for rotation, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft that overran and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Directional control was lost on takeoff due to a failure of the elevator control system caused by a wrong bolt type that was fixed.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII in RAF Dishforth: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1946

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII

Operator:

Registration:

PP362

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training sortie. On approach to RAF Dishforth with the engine number three voluntarily out of service, the crew realized that he was misaligned with the runway and decided to make a go around. The aircraft gained altitude, flew over the airbase and continued to the north when, shortly later, he went out of control and crashed in a field located 5 miles north of the airbase. The captain was seriously injured while all three other occupants were killed.
Crew (1332 HTCU):
W/O Sydney Albert Loosley, pilot,
F/Sgt F. J. Porritt, navigator, †
W/O A. Gallagher, flight engineer, †
Sgt M. H. Hewlett, wireless operator. †

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the loss of control could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII in RAF Leconfield

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1946

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII

Operator:

Registration:

NA398

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Demonstration

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Leconfield - Leconfield

Location:

Leconfield AFB (Beverley)

Yorkshire

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a demonstration flight at RAF Leconfield and was performing an exercise consisting to prove the aircraft was able to fly with only one engine operative. While cruising at low height in the vicinity of the airbase, the crew shut down three engines and continued to fly on one engine only when the aircraft lost height, stalled and crashed in a field located near the airfield. While all six crew members were rescued, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Several procedures were neglected by the crew who was performing the demonstration flight at a too low altitude. Due to an insufficient distance between the aircraft and the ground when three engines were shut down, the crew was unable to regain control after the aircraft stalled.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII in RAF Linton-on-Ouse: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 10, 1946

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII

Operator:

Registration:

PP349

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the crew informed ground that a fire erupted on board and elected to return for an emergency landing. During a last turn to the left, the aircraft went out of control, lost height and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 2,5 miles southwest of the airfield. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (1665 HCU):
S/L Kenneth Stammers, pilot,
W/O D. R. Roberts,
F/O W. I. Harvey,
F/Sgt S. Fox,
LAC J. C. Simpson,
LAC G. Pritchard,
LAC H. Sharling

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII in Bolventor: 21 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1945 at 0855 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII

Operator:

Registration:

PN305

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on its way from RAF Tarrant Rushton to the Azores Islands with a crew of 7 and 14 passengers on board. While overflying Cornwall, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a prairie. All 21 occupants were killed.
Crew (644th Squadron):
F/Sgt Clifford William Akers,
F/O Peter Stafford Briggs,
F/Lt Jeremiah Charles Garnett,
F/Sgt William Mathias,
F/Lt Geoffrey Percival Ormesher,
AC2 Alan Ralph Titford,
F/Lt Gerald Theodore Bailey.
Passengers:
F/O Alan John Reardon,
LAC Leonard Roy Victor Cox,
AC1 Patrick Fitzgibbon,
LAC Cecil Everard Charles Hoborough,
LAC Roy William Nicholls,
Cpl Henry Phillip Mills,
LAC Selwyn Thomas,
LAC Thomas Smith Wallace,
LAC Ernest Raymond Richings,
LAC Stanley Price,
AC2 Dennis Martin,
LAC Edward Joseph Lynott,
LAC Edwin Arthur George Pettifer,
AC2 Robert Owen.
Source:
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?4604-F-S-William-Henry-Mathias-1836211-Died-14-9-45-644-Sqd

Probable cause:

Due to an electrical failure, the dingy inflation valve was activated and the dingy blew up, came out of its wing stowage and fouled the tailplane assembly, restricting the elevators. The pilot lost control and the aircraft dove into the ground. This was almost a repeat of an accident reported earlier.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII in Stürzelberg: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII

Operator:

Registration:

NP781

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse

Location:

Stürzelberg

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was on his way to Germany to bomb the Düsseldorf-Lohausen Airport. The aircraft left RAF Linton-on-Ouse with 60 others bombers. En route, while cruising south of Düsseldorf, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field. Five crew members were killed.
Crew (408th Squadron):
F/O David Garfield Kellar, †
F/Lt W. L. Friker, †
F/O W. H. Dunwoodie.