Date & Time: Feb 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
1212
Flight Phase:
Flight
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
East London - East London
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew departed East London-Collondale AFB on an aerial photography mission in formation with a second SAAF Anson registered 3164. In unknown circumstances, both aircraft collided in flight. While the pilot of the 3164 was able to perform an emergency landing at Collondale AFB, the second Anson registered 1212 entered a dive and crashed in a field located 1,5 mile southwest of the airbase, bursting into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (41st Squadron):
P/O D. I. Fraser, pilot,
2nd Lt C. P. Davis, copilot,
LAC E. Portnell, observer,
LAC T. E. D. Tighe, observer,
LAC J. D. Schenfield, observer.