Bristol 142 Blenheim | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Ford on a maritime patrol flight. While returning to base, it ran out of fuel. Two crew members bailed out over the sea off Ventnor but drowned in the rough swell. The pilot continued and the airplane crash landed near Ventnor. The pilot was rescued.
Crew:
Sgt R. S. Loveridge, pilote,
F/Sgt Alexander Newman, observer,
F/Sgt George Southall, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Kuçovë: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8471

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Kuçovë, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
F/O Peter Fenton Miles, pilot,
Sgt Francis Gartly Moir, observer,
Sgt Bertram Alfred Charles Brooker, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Koritsa

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8374

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The bomber was shot down by enemy fire and crash landed near Koritsa. Both crew members evacuated with minor injuries.
Crew:
F/O John Frederick Evans, pilot,
Sgt Harold Bertie Offord.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Plouguin: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1940 at 1704 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

R3878

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Saint Eval -Saint Eval

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Saint Eval at 1455LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Plouguin, some 18 km northwest of Brest. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L George Wroughton Montagu, pilot,
Sgt Dennis Rushworth Briggs, observer,
P/O George Henry Hannan, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IVC off Lenankeel

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L9415

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Belfast - Belfast

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The bomber crash landed in the Loch Swilly off Lenankeel and was lost. All three crew members swam to the shore and were later interned.
Crew:
Sgt S. J. Hobbs,
Sgt H. W. Ricketts,
Sgt D. B. Newport.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV on Belle-Île-en-Mer

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1860

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham to attack Lannion Airport. It crash landed on Belle-Île-en-Mer. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Edgar Spottiswoode Humphreys,
Sgt Geoffrey Royson Griggs,
Sgt Leonard Frederick Brand.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF in Hurst: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1467

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Catterick - Catterick

MSN:

8750

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Catterick on a training sortie. While descending through clouds, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill located near Hurst. The pilot was killed and the air gunner was seriously injured. Six days after the accident, he died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Norman Wilson, pilot,
P/O George Henry Holmes, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Saranda: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8462

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The bomber was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Saranda. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Steven Paget, pilot,
Sgt George Sigsworth, observer,
Sgt William Tubberdy, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Norwich

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1940 at 2150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

R3744

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Norwich - Norwich

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Norwich Airport on an operation to Mannheim. Soon after takeoff, the crew encountered difficulties and jettisoned the bomb load that fell into Bond Street in Norwich. At 2150LT, the airplane crashed near the white House at Sprowston in the northeastern suburbs of the city. Two crews were injured and the third was unhurt.
Crew:
Sgt T. E. Barnes,
Sgt H. S. Seward,
Sgt L. B. Walsh.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Plympton

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1940 at 0515 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z5801

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

West Raynham - West Raynham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 2108LT on December 16 on an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base the following morning, it ran out of fuel and was abandoned by the crew while approaching Plymouth. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed in the Newnham Deer Park located north of Plympton and was destroyed. All three crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
P/O C. E. Hill,
P/O R. E. Glover,
F/O J. V. Baker.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.