Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford III at RAF Stradishall: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1938
Operator:
Registration:
K5194
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton – Stradishall
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Stradishall at night, the airplane impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area short of runway, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Harry Augustus Smith,
P/O Aubrey Ward Jackson.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford II at RAF Finningley

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1938
Operator:
Registration:
K4871
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Finningley - Finningley
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie out from RAF Finningley. On final approach at night, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane impacted trees and crashed, bursting into flames. Two crew members were slightly injured and the third one was unhurt.
Crew:
S/L John Nicolson Jaques, pilot,
P/O Byron Francis Burbridge, navigator,
AC1 Jack Guest, wireless operator and gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford III at RAF Honington: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1937 at 2120 LT
Operator:
Registration:
K5183
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local night training flight at RAF Honington. For unknown reasons, the airplane landed hard, went out of control and came to rest upside down. A crew member was killed while three others were injured and one escaped unhurt. Two days later, one of the survivor died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
P/O Thomas Arthur Bunting, †
P/O Basil Gaston Lancelot Betbeder, †
P/O Laurence Herbert McFarlane,
AC1 Ernest Marrows,
AC1 Charles Albert Frederick Kettle.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford IIA in Stopham Bridge: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1937
Operator:
Registration:
K4039
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mildenhall – Tangmere
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route from RAF Mildenhall to RAF Tangmere at night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. The airplane deviated from the prescribed routing and eventually went out of control and crashed in a field located in Stophan Bridge, west of Pulborough. All four crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course by 100 miles, probably after the pilot got lost in poor weather conditions.
Crew:
P/O Andrew Aitken,
Sgt Duncan Robert Francis Ross,
Cpl John Bennett,
LAC Willian Lemnal Sellince.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford III near Chapel-en-le-Frith: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1937
Operator:
Registration:
K6875
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Leconfield - Leconfield
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Leconfield on a night training exercice. While cruising over the Peak District National Park, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane impacted the slope of the Bloadlee Bank Tor near Chapel-en-le-Frith. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Newton William Baker,
Sgt James William Barker,
Sgt Charles Patrick Dugald McMillan,
AC1 Eric James McDonald,
AC1 William Henry Gray,
AC2 Ernest John Musker.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford in Hebden Bridge: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1936 at 1315 LT
Operator:
Registration:
K6900
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Belfast – Finningley
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
A group of seven Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford departed Belfast-Aldergrove Airport at 1045LT on a formation flight to RAF Finningley. Upon departure, weather conditions were excellent. After crossing the Irish Sea and flying over Barrow-in-Furness, the crew encountered clouds and severe icing conditions. Unable to maintain the altitude, the crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane struck a wall before crashing onto moorland on an old rifle range on Wadsworth Moor, near Hebden Bridge. A crew member was seriously injured and three others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Charles Otter, pilot,
Sgt Douglas George Church, navigator, †
LAC Percival George Clements, fitter, †
AC2 Claud Vincent Bodenham, wireless operator. †

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford at RAF Hemswell

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1936
Operator:
Registration:
K4864
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Belfast – Finningley
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A group of seven Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford departed Belfast-Aldergrove Airport at 1045LT on a formation flight to RAF Finningley. Upon departure, weather conditions were excellent. After crossing the Irish Sea and flying over Barrow-in-Furness, the crew encountered clouds and severe icing conditions. The crew decided to divert to RAF Hemswell for an emergency landing but the airplane crashed on final approach in an open field located about 2 km short of runway. All four crew members evacuated with minor injuries.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford in Shaw

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1936
Operator:
Registration:
K4874
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Belfast – Finningley
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A group of seven Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford departed Belfast-Aldergrove Airport at 1045LT on a formation flight to RAF Finningley. Upon departure, weather conditions were excellent. After crossing the Irish Sea and flying over Barrow-in-Furness, the crew encountered clouds and severe icing conditions. Unable to maintain the altitude, the crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed in a pasture in Shaw, some 15 km northeast of Manchester. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were uninjured.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford in Disley

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1936
Operator:
Registration:
K4868
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Belfast – Finningley
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A group of seven Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford departed Belfast-Aldergrove Airport at 1045LT on a formation flight to RAF Finningley. Upon departure, weather conditions were excellent. After crossing the Irish Sea and flying over Barrow-in-Furness, the crew encountered clouds and severe icing conditions. Unable to maintain the altitude, the crew made an emergency landing in an open field in Disley. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all four crew members were uninjured.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford in Disley

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1936
Operator:
Registration:
K6898
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Belfast – Finningley
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A group of seven Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford departed Belfast-Aldergrove Airport at 1045LT on a formation flight to RAF Finningley. Upon departure, weather conditions were excellent. After crossing the Irish Sea and flying over Barrow-in-Furness, the crew encountered clouds and severe icing conditions. Unable to maintain the altitude, the crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a prairie. It collided with a hedge, a fence and telegraph pole before coming to rest on its nose. All four crew members evacuated with minor injuries.