Zone

Crash of a Canadair C-4M1 North Star at RAF North Luffenham

Date & Time: May 8, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
17522
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
106
YOM:
1947
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF North Luffenham, the four engine aircraft was too low and hit an embankment located about 75 feet short of runway threshold. On impact, the main landing gear were pushed up and punctured the fuel tank. Upon landing, the airplane sank on its belly and came to rest few dozen yards farther. There were no injuries but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK Dakota C.4 near RAF North Luffenham

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1949
Operator:
Registration:
KN544
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
MSN:
16401/33149
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training sortie in RAF North Luffenham. While flying in the vicinity of the airbase, the pilot inadvertently shot down both engines. The aircraft lost speed and height and the crew tried several times to restart the engine without success. In such situation, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed in a field near the airbase and slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. While all three crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Inadvertent shut down of both engines in flight on part of the crew.

Ground accident of a Douglas C-47B-40-DK Dakota C.4 in RAF North Luffenham

Date & Time: May 23, 1949
Operator:
Registration:
KN551
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
16830/33578
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While holding for takeoff, the Dakota registered KN551 was hit by another RAF Dakota registered KJ810. The accident occurred in unclear circumstances and there were no injuries. While KJ810 was repaired, KN551 was damaged beyond repair.

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

Date & Time: May 17, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
PP373
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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 an Avro 683 Lancaster III in RAF North Luffenham: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NG437
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft encountered serious difficulties to gain height and was in a constant stall attitude, with nose up and tail down. The captain increased engine power but the aircraft lost height, hit the ground and crashed in a huge explosion. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (1653 HCU):
Sgt Anthony Fredrick Barnard Blaikley,
W/O Reginald Thomas Nutting,
Sgt Anthony Bone,
F/Sgt Frank Keighley Dexter,
F/Sgt Alexander John Rossiter,
F/Sgt Alfred Albert Willis Thomas,
Sgt Thomas Edward Valler.
Probable cause:
The pilot was completing his first flight on this aircraft as a captain and probably put the elevators in a wrong setting at takeoff.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Vlieland Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942 at 2230 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AE200
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham at 1900LT on a mine laying operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Vlieland Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt David Towler, pilot,
Sgt Edward Frederick Penlington, observer,
Sgt John Burns, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Leopold Llewellyn Woodford, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot ^down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF North Luffenham

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1942 at 2326 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AT116
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham on a mine laying operation. Returning to base, it clipped the wing of Short Stirling N3674, which had just landed and got bogged down. The Hampden was damaged beyond repair and the Stirling was repaired.
Crew:
Sgt D. J. Towler,
Sgt E. F. Penlington,
Sgt J. Burns,
Sgt W. Woodford.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF North Luffenham: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1942 at 0149 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AD842
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham at 0145LT on a mine laying operation. Four minutes later, it crashed in unknown circumstances on the flare path, just beyond the airfield boundary. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was injured.
Crew:
Sgt D. C. Hunter, pilot,
Sgt Richard Ball Calow, observer, †
F/Sgt Fernand Fagan MacKinnon, wireless operator, †
Sgt William Douglas Morris, air gunner. †

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Hexthorpe: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 0300 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L4178
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham in the evening of February 25 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and apparently missed the airbase. Eventually, the airplane ran out of fuel and crashed in Hexthorpe, in the southwestern outskirts of Doncaster. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Reginald Alfred Bland, pilot,
F/O Harold Edward Aspey, observer,
F/Sgt John Balfour Gray, wireless operator,
Sgt John Arthur Eves, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

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

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1942 at 2202 LT
Operator:
Registration:
X2969
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham on a mine laying operation. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Terschelling. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Lord Bruce Thomas Dundas, pilot,
Sgt George Andrew Barnett, observer,
Sgt William Alexander Croft, wireless operator,
Sgt Sydney Bell Wilson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.