Zone

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Oude Pekela: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1941 at 0140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1494
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Newton - Newton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Newton in the evening of May 15 on an operation to Hanover. While flying over the Netherlands, the left engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in Oude Pekela. Two crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Raymond Gordon Eccles, pilot, †
Sgt Gordon MacLean, wireless operator, †
Sgt Edwin Currie Easton,
Sgt Sydney Eric Thomas Hamblin,
P/O Harry John Sellers,
P/O Archibald William Sulston.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.