La Rochelle | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties but the aircraft owned by D. L. Steiner was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I off La Rochelle: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I

Operator:

Registration:

L9517

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Stanton Harcourt - Stanton Harcourt

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The airplane departed RAF Stanton Harcourt at 1055LT on an operation to La Pallice, west of La Rochelle. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Joseph Francis Patrick John McKenna, pilot,
F/Sgt Valentine Arthur Davis, wireless operator,
Sgt Roger Francis Stuart Ford-Hutchinson,
F/Sgt Roy William Joseph Hill, air gunner,

Sgt John Mitchell Pilbeam, wireless operator,
Sgt Leonard Thomas Rice,
Sgt George Summers.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a enemy fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I off La Rochelle

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I

Operator:

Registration:

L9494

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Stanton Harcourt - Stanton Harcourt

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Stanton Harcourt at 1055LT on an operation to La Pallice, west of La Rochelle. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea. All seven crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
S/L William Richard Williams, pilot,
Sgt Leonard James Butler,
P/O John George Ireton,
Sgt Samuel Jones,
Sgt Norman Kershaw,
Sgt Alexander Henry John Turner,
Sgt George Robert Wedderburn.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off La Rochelle: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

W6528

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Saint Eval - Saint Eval

MSN:

9522

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed RAF St Eval on a maritime patrol flight. Flying along the French coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off La Rochelle. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
F/O John Welsh, pilot, †
Sgt Eric Chesterman, wireless operator, †
Sgt Walter Joseph Parsonage Wheat, †
W/O H. E. C. Young.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off La Rochelle: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

AD728

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Lindholme - Lindholme

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The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 2000LT on a mine laying operation off La Rochelle. Approaching the target area in foggy conditions, it crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Albert Charles Evans,
S/L Duncan Charles Frederick Good,
Sgt Horace Cuthbert Page,
P/O John George Embleton Willis.

Crash of a Caudron C.635M Simoun in Jouy-en-Josas: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1939 at 1415 LT

Type of aircraft:

Caudron C.630/C.635 Simoun

Operator:

Registration:

401

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Villacoublay – La Rochelle

MSN:

8492.401

YOM:

1938

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Circumstances:

The pilot took off from Vélizy-Villacoublay Airport almost simultaneously with a French Air Force Lioré 451. While in initial climb, the Simoun that was positioned to the left of the Lioré, collided the Lioré with its right wing. Out of control, the Simoun entered a dive and crashed on a farm adjacent to the Montcel Castle in Jouy-en-Josas. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crew:
Adj/C Georges Marcillac, pilot.

Crash of a Fokker F12 in La Rochelle

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1936

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F12

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADZK

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Croydon - Madrid

MSN:

5301

YOM:

1931

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Circumstances:

The crew was on his way from Croydon to Madrid to deliver the aircraft to the Spanish Air Forces (Aviación Nacional). En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to fog. In such conditions, the captain decided to divert to La Rochelle-Lagord Airport. For unknown reasons, the airplane landed hard, causing the left main gear to collapse. The aircraft went out of control and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest with its left wing and left engine partially torn off. Both crew were uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Mr. Czarkowski +1.