Date & Time: Jul 14, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
N7231
Flight Phase:
Flight
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thornaby - Thornaby
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thornaby on a maritime patrol flight. On return, it collided with the cable of a barrage balloon, went out control and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All four crew menbers were killed.
Crew (220th Squadron):
P/O Garth Wells Fuller Carey, pilot,
P/O Phillip Knox Vartan, pilot,
Sgt George Alexander Matthews, air gunner,
Sgt Victor George Gent, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
In-flight collision with the cable of a barrage balloon.