Avro 652 Anson | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was performing a training flight from Cottesmore to Carlisle. Just after starting the descent in poor visibility, the twin engine aircraft hit a tree and crashed onto a hill side located near Gilling West, northeast of Richmond. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (14th OTU):
Sgt Sidney John Howard, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Hurst, pilot,
Sgt Stanley Robert Sumner, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Huntley Todd, wireless operator,
Sgt Cyril Murray, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Premature descent in poor visibility, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Trevose Head

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K8769

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Saint Eval - Saint Eval

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While on a supply mission, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The crew attempted an emergency landing one mile southeast of Trevose Head. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while all four crew members were unhurt.
Crew (217th Squadron):
Sgt L. Ward,
F/O S. E. Bussey,
Sgt J. L. Alexander,
Sgt C. T. O. Bruce.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Rhossili

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

N9890

Flight Phase:

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Survivors:

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Schedule:

Saint Eval -Saint Eval

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The airplane departed RAF Saint Eval at 0005LT on September 29 for a strike on shipping in Cherbourg harbor. Over the target area, the airplane was hit by enemy fire (German Flak), sustaining slight damage to the fuselage and port engine manifold. While returning to its base in the early morning, the airplane ran out of fuel and the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed on a beach near Rhossili and was damaged beyond repair. All four crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
F/Lt Arnold,
P/O Kerr,
Sgt Grenivier,
Sgt W. B. Miflin.

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Eaton Constantine

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

L7071

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The crew was performing a training flight on behalf of the 10th OTU. En route, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of a hill and crashed near Eaton Constantine. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (10th OTU):
Sgt Hilton Jones, pilot,
Sgt B. Cleaver, observer.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Heliopolis

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

L7976

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Heliopolis - Heliopolis

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Circumstances:

Crashed on take off for unknown reasons. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I into the Celtic Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K6262

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

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The crew was performing a maritime patrol flight when the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Celtic Sea, some 50 miles west off Lundy Island. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Philip Sidney Bensted,
Sgt Joseph Goddard,
LAC Ernest Richards,
P/O Harry Steel,
P/O Antony O'Neill Willcox.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RAF Windrush

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K8754

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

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Circumstances:

Crash landed at RAF Windrush for unknown reasons. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RAF Windrush: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1940 at 2356 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

L9164

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Windrush - Windrush

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Shortly after take off from RAF Windrush, while on night training mission, the twin engine aircraft collided with a Luftwaffe Heinkel He.111. Its crew was involved in a bombing mission over the RAF Brize Norton but apparently mistaken Windrush for Brize Norton. Both aircrafts crashed and all five crew members were killed.
Crew (6th SFTS):
Sgt Bruce Hancock.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Penha Garcia: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1940 at 1657 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K8813

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Saint Eval - Saint Eval

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At 1657LT, the crew sent a distress call when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances some 4 km southeast of Penha Garcia, near Castelo Branco. All four occupants were killed.
Crew (217th Squadron):
P/O Anthony Gordon-Peiniger, pilot,
P/O Richard Maxwell Coulman, navigator,
Sgt Eric Kendrick Mellody, wireless operator,
Sgt Edgar Hopperton, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

According to the British Authorities, the aircraft was probably shot down by enemy action.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Katwijk aan Zee: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1940 at 0330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

N5356

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Detling - Detling

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Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight along the coast between Ostend and Scheveningen. While flying at night along the Dutch coast, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Katwijk aan Zee. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew (500th Squadron):
P/O Herbert George Ross Pirie, pilot, †
P/O J. B. S. Brockway,
Sgt S. R. Croft,
Sgt Montague Adam Prentice, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.