Crash of a Vickers Wellington into the Gulf of Aden: 10 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1947 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC565
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Aden-Khormaksar Airport. Enroute, the airplane went out of control, went into a dive by an angle of 30° and finally crashed into the Gulf of Aden, about 352 km east of Aden. Few debris were found but no trace of the ten occupants who were considered as deceased. The aircraft sank in relatively deep. It is believed that an engine failed in flight and that the crew mistakenly shot down the wrong engine. It is possible that the engine failure was caused by a lack of electric power due to the failure of a battery. Also, it appears that the cargo loading was completed against the published procedures and that the CofG was affected, which may contribute to the loss of control.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X near RAF Cottesmore: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC474
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training sortie when the aircraft went out of control, nosed down, lost several pieces and partially disintegrated in the air before crashing in a field located 6 miles east of RAF Cottesmore. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. Nevertheless, the loss of control might be the result of poor weather conditions or a structural or a mechanical failure.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Finningley

Date & Time: May 22, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PG124
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft lost power during takeoff roll. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and raised the undercarriage. The aircraft sank on its belly and skidded for several yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Driffield: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP520
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Drieffield, the crew encountered control problems and informed ground that he was attempting an emergency landing. Few seconds later, the aircraft nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion few hundred yards short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on final approach caused by the failure of several bolts on an elevator.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X off Roscoff: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC630
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Shawbury - Shawbury
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight from RAF Shawbury. After flying over the island of Ouessant, heading to Straits of Dover, both engines failed simultaneously. Unable to restart the engines, the captain was forced to reduce his altitude and attempted to ditch the aircraft off Roscoff. On rough sea, the aircraft landed quite hard and broke in two. Three crew members were able to take refuge in a dinghy while three others were drowned when the aircraft sank and was lost. The crew of a merchant ship arrived on the scene about 5 hours later and evacuated the three survivors that were later landed at Plymouth.
Crew:
F/Lt Franczak, pilot,
F/O Ken S. Delbridge, navigator,
Sgt Bennett, signaler,
Cad Joseph Smith, †
Sgt Smith, †
Sgt Singh. †
Probable cause:
It appears that a crew wanted to switch the fuel selector to the auxiliary tanks because the main one was near empty. In doing so, he inadvertently cut the fuel supply, causing both engines to stop.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Moreton-in-Marsh: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PG135
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moreton-in-Marsh - Moreton-in-Marsh
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, while on a local training sortie, the aircraft hit the ground and crashed in a field located in Long Compton, about five km east of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all five crew members were killed. The accident occurred by night and low visibility due to clouds.
Crew (21st OTU):
F/O D. J. Ferdinando,
F/Lt K. G. J. Gratton,
F/Sgt R. Dunn,
Sgt W. B. Greatrix,
Sgt D. E. Robinson.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF East Moor

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC725
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew were undertaking a cross country training flight when, three hours into the flight the pilot noticed the gauges on his panel showed the starboard engine had lost oil pressure. The pilot feathered the engine believing it was failing. He then attempted a hurried forced landing at RAF East Moor at 1345LT but touched down too far along the runway and as the aircraft ran off the end of the runway, the aircraft's undercarriage was raised to stop the aircraft.
Crew (10th OTU):
F/O Geoffrey Wright Burt, pilot 4.
Source:
http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/ryedale/nc725.html
Probable cause:
An investigation found there to have been no problem with the engine but a faulty oil pressure gauge on the pilot's panel made him think that the engine had failed when actually there was no problem.

Crashf of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in Port Lyautey: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC566
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Port Lyautey - Port Lyautey
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Port Lyautey Airbase, killing all four crew members.