Short S.29 Stirling

Shortly after takeoff from Kunming Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located 3 km from the airport. Five passengers were seriously injured while all 25 other occupants were killed. It appears that three of the four engines failed shortly after rotation. All passengers were Belgian missionaries.

Shortly after takeoff by night from Castel Benito, while climbing to a height of 150 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion on a sand dune located near the airport. A passenger was seriously injured while 28 other occupants were killed. All passengers were returning to England on behalf of the Air Transport Command.
Crew (158th Squadron):
F/Lt Claude Robert Wilson, pilot,
F/Lt Peter Austin Finnett, navigator,
F/O Ernest Leo Hill, pilot,
F/O Sidney Hodges, pilot,
F/Lt Frank William Kenrick, pilot,
F/O George Frederick Phillipson, flight engineer,
F/Lt Leonard Simpson, navigator.
Passengers:
Gun Victor Charles Acourt,
Gun William Beardsley,
Pvt James William Merritt Belk,
Gun Henry Benjamin Butler,
Gun George Ward Chapman,
Gun Ronald William Dobson,
Gun Donald James Elliott,
Sgt Cyril Flannery,
Gun Thomas George Gregory,
Gun Leonard Kemp,
Gun Albert McGrath,
Gun Walter Marshall,
William Moncur,
Trp Peter Owens,
Gun Alfred Eric Roberts,
Gun Andrew Ross,
Gun Frank Shepherd,
Gun John Henry Telford,
Gun Henry Turvey,
Sig John William Walter Wilson,
Gun Denzil Young.

On takeoff, went out of control and crashed on a Misrair Avro Anson registered SU-ACX and carrying one pilot that was killed in the crash. All three crew members on board the Stirling were injured. Both aircraft were destroyed.

Enroute, the crew informed ground he was short of fuel and elected to divert to Rennes Airport. At 0028LT, the radio operator reported the fuel reserve were estimated for 10 minutes. Two minutes later, while completing a last turn in poor weather conditions, the aircraft nosed down and crashed in flames in a field short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 26 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, visibility was poor due to low clouds, and the airfield was not sufficiently lighted.
Crew (299th Squadron):
F/O Charles Thomas Dillon, pilot,
F/Lt Donald William Lee, navigator,
F/Sgt Donald Wareham, flight engineer,
W/O Alan Griffiths, bomb aimer,
W/O Victor Gerald Last, air gunner,
W/O Eric Antony Pether, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
Lt Col Alexander John Severs Mackenzie,
C/O Dorothy Mary Mackenzie,
Cpl Margery Greenfield,
Pvt Margaret Jean Mortlock,
LAC Agnes Aitchison Maltby,
Cpl Edward Vernon Maltby,
Sgt Hilda Victoria Timms,
Lt Jack Edward Lloyd,
Lt Frederick Edmund Withers,
Lt Col George Howard Jones,
Sgt Marie Elsie Isabel Innes,
Sgt John Edward Timms,
Cpt Cecil Tom Keates,
Pvt Leonard Harold North,
Lt John Alexander Leo Carus,
AC1 Harry Ronald Goulding,
LAC Sidney George Wordsworth,
LAC John Ernest Simcock,
Maj Samuel Harry Arthur Williams,
AC1 Joseph McWilliams.

The crew was performing a flight from RAF Great Dunmow to Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, taking part to the operation christened 'Doomsday' of releasing Norway from the German occupation. The descent was started in poor weather conditions with low clouds, fog and rain showers. On approach, while too low, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed, killing all 24 occupants.
Crew (190th Squadron):
S/Ldr Douglas Raymond Robertson,
F/Lt Norman Leslie Roseblade,
F/Lt Lemuel Ernest Prowse,
F/Sgt Arthur Gwynne Davies,
F/Sgt Ronald Alderson,
W/O George Edward Thompson.
Passengers:
Mar J. R Scarlett-Streatfield,
Maj Petter Cato Juliebø,
Cpl Sidney George Rayner,
Pvt Frederick Sainty,
Pvt Edward Waby,
Pvt Herbert William Woodward,
Pvt David William Cooper,
Pvt Walter Robert Lovett,
Pvt Walter William Elliott,
Pvt Kenneth John Watts,
Pvt George Walton,
Pvt Michael Mullen Wade,
Pvt Francis Gerard Trainor,
Pvt John Shannon,
Pvt Clarence Sutherland,
Pvt William Rodger,
Pvt Edmund Charles Monk,
Pvt Frank George McGlynn.
Source: http://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/sorkedalen.html

The crew was performing a flight from UK to Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, taking part to the operation christened 'Doomsday' of releasing Norway from the German occupation. The approach was completed in poor weather conditions with low clouds, fog and rain showers. The aircraft crashed on final, short of runway, and was destroyed. All 20 occupants were killed.
Crew (196th Squadron):
F/O John L. Breed, pilot,
W/O Hugh J. Kilday,
F/Sgt Harold A. Bell,
F/Sgt David Welch,
Sgt Lionel J. D. Gilyead, wireless operator,
W/O Raymond C. Impett, navigator.
Passengers:
Lt Frederick G. Saville,
Pvt Frederick Brown,
Pvt Thomas D. Brown,
Cpl Charles Gavaghan,
Pvt Thomas Laycock,
Pvt George A. Little,
Pvt Robert McKeown,
Pvt Horace Newby,
Pvt Joseph Pagan,
Pvt George T. Phipps,
Cpl Thomas E. Richardson,
Sgt Frank R. Seabury,
Pvt Joseph Smethurst,
Cpl Alexander B. Todd.

The crew was engaged in a night training exercise. En route, the pilot did not realized his altitude was insufficient and the crew was unable to distinguish the presence of the mountain due to the low visibility caused by foggy conditions. The aircraft hit the south slope of Mt Mickle Fell, skidded for some hundred yards before coming to rest in flames. The tail gunner was found alive while all six other occupants were killed.
Crew (570th Squadron):
F/Sgt Peter Dawbarn Young, pilot, †
F/Sgt Neil Conway Burgess, navigator, †
Sgt Bertram George Davis, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt John Matthew Stack, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt Rex Patrick Furey, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt George Child, air gunner, †
W/O Alan G. Small RNZAF, tail gunner.

The aircraft left RAF Harwell at 1434LT on a supply mission over Holland. While approaching the drop zone located in the region of Arnhem, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a wooded area. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O William Baker, pilot,
F/Lt John Dickson, navigator,
F/O Robert Carter Booth, bomb aimer,
P/O Francis George Totterdill, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Bert Bond, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Dennis James Blencowe, air gunner,
Robert William Hayton,
Reginald Shore.

En route, the aircraft hit a hill and crashed in the Peak District. All ten crew members were rescued, among them two were injured. The aircraft was totally wrecked. For unknown reason, the crew was flying at a too low altitude.
Crew (1654th Heavy Conversion Unit):
F/O Leonard Thomas Gardine, pilot,
F/O John O’Leary, pilot instructor,
Sgt Jim Coulson, bomb aimer and air gunner,
Sgt John David Gittings, flight engineer,
Sgt McDonald, navigator,
Sgt Thomas Edward Burroughs, wireless operator,
Sgt Ludlow, flight engineer,
Sgt Austin, air gunner,
Sgt Lennox Schultz Van Nierkirk, air gunner,
S/L Hadland.
Source and photos:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrictlj628.htm

The crew was involved in a night photography exercise and left RAF Wigsley bound for the Menai Bridge and back. En route, at least one engine failed and the aircraft lost height. The captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft but only four crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed. Four crew members survived while all four others were killed.
Crew (1654th HCU):
F/O Gordon Noble Leach, pilot, †
F/S Frederick Thomas James Nicholls, flight engineer,
F/S Arthur C. Brett, flight engineer,
F/S Geoffray Norman Wise, navigator,
Sgt D. C. Watson, bomb aimer,
F/S Bernard David Fine, wireless operator, †
Sgt Harry Ward, air gunner, †
Sgt Charles David Howes, air gunner. †