Bristol 142 Blenheim | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew departed RAF Church Fenton on a night training exercise. Approaching York, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to snow falls. While completing a turn at low height, a wing struck the ground and the airplane crashed in the district of Heworth in York. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Walter Daunt Kimber, pilot,
Sgt Vernon Mark Foot, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

It was later reported that the pilot had limited night flying experience and combined with the poor weather forecast he should not have been permitted to undertake the exercise on this night.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Boston: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N3570

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While on a training exercise, the twin engine airplane crashed in Freiston, in the suburb of Boston. Three crew members were seriously injured and a fourth was killed. The following day, one of the survivors died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt V. H. Langrish,
Sgt Harry Footer Rampley, †
LAC A. E. Pluncknett,
Sgt Ernest William De'ath, wireless operator. †

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Church Fenton

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L6712

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Church Fenton - Church Fenton

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The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Church Fenton. Following an engine failure, the aircraft crash landed near the airfield and was damaged beyond repair. Both occupants were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Saxton Newhouse, pilot +1.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Bodney: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1941 at 1939 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N3553

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Bodney - Bodney

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The airplane departed RAF Bodney at 1939LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. Shortly after takeoff, it came down in trees, impacted a brick wall and crashed near the airfield. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured. He died soon afterwards from injuries sustained.
Crew:
P/O Peter Hharry Moller, pilot,
Sgt Arthur John Norman, observer,
Sgt Frederick Herbert Harry Taylor, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Lowestoft: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1941 at 1220 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2435

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Norwich - Norwich

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The crew departed RAF Horsham St Faith in Norwich at 1020LT on an operation to Germany. On return, and while crossing the East Anglia coast at 1220LT, the crew failed to give any recognition signals and the Blenheim was promptly engaged by AA fire from naval ships. Shortly afterwards the tail assembly broke away and the bomber dived into a field 250 yards from the police house at Oulton, 2 miles west-northwest of Lowestoft. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Guy Jerrold Menzies, pilot,
Sgt Edwin Jones Bonney, observer,
Sgt Roy Tribick, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by British AA fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Ras Bir

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8456

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The crew was forced to make an emergency landing near Ras Bir, east of Obock. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Bergen aan Zee: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1941 at 1039 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1858

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Oulton - Oulton

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The airplane departed RAF Oulton at 0855LT on a reconnaissance mission to Nordhorn. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 20 km off Bergen aan Zee. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O David Lowther-Clarke,
Sgt Alfred Richard Grindley,
Sgt Norman Oswald Allen.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV into the North Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2163

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bodney - Bodney

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The airplane departed RAF Bodney at 1450LT on an operation to Amsterdam. Lost without trace, maybe it crashed somewhere in the North Sea. All three crew members were killed.
crew:
P/O Alfred Harmon Poulsen,
Sgt James Burton,
Sgt Harold Summers.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Araxos

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8501

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Tatoi - Tatoi

Location:

Araxos

Peloponnese / Πελοπόννησος

Country:

Greece

Region:

Europe

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The airplane departed Tatoi AFB at 1035LT on an operation to Këlcyrë. It was attacked by enemy fire and the crew evacuated the area. Later, the airplane ran out of fuel and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Araxos. All three crew members escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF near Beauvais

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1226

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ford - Ford

MSN:

8509

YOM:

1938

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The airplane departed RAF Ford on an operation to Beauvais. It is believed that it was shot down by the German Flak while approaching the target area. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Robert William Jones, pilot,
Sgt George Edward Bessell, observer,
Sgt Reginald Walter Cullen, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.