Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I in Sylling: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L2167
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Invergordon - Invergordon
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The float plane was performing a reconnaissance mission from RAF Invergordon to Fornebu (Oslo region). While flying away from Fornebu, the airplane was attacked by the pilot of a German Air Force Messerschmitt Me.110. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a dense wooded area. At a height of 3,000 feet, a crew member was able to bail out without any parachute. On the crash site, rescue teams found the dead bodies of nine crew while the jumper, a young sergeant, was injured. It appears his chute was absorbed by deep snow on the ground.
Crew (210th Squadron):
F/L Peter W. H. Kite, †
P/O Arthur F. LeMaistre, †
Sgt Jack C. Carpenter, †
Sgt Ogwyn F. George,
Sgt James A. L. Barter, †
LAC Frederic A. Morrison, †
LAC Douglas W. B. Upham, †
AC1 Graham H. Maile, †
AC1 Robert L. Millar, †
AC2 George Eveson. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Bergen: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L5799
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sullom Voe - Sullom Voe
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The float plane departed RAF Sullom Voe (Shetland Islands) at 1030LT on a reconnaissance mission off the Norwegian coast. En route, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German Heinkel He.111 and crashed into the sea off Bergen. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the nine crewmen.
Crew (204th Squadron):
F/L Robert P. A. Harrison,
P/O Ronald F. Hoskins,
LAC Albert F. Roberts,
LAC Dennis S. Lloyd,
AC1 Bernard V. H. Bulmer,
AC1 Charles A. Hughes,
AC1 Leonard J. Fowell,
AC2 Herbert Harrott,
AC2 William H. U. Dolley.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off RAF Mount Batten: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1939 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9030
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mount Batten - Mount Batten
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The float plane was returning to RAF Mount Batten following a maritime patrol flight. At night and in poor weather conditions, the crew attempted to land when the aircraft crashed in the bay of Portsmouth. Four crew members were killed and seven others were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt H. B. Johnson, pilot,
F/O Dennis Ford, copilot, †
Sgt Watkins,
AC2 Joseph Douglas Whitford, †
AC2 William Henry Fiddock, †
AC2 John William Hayward, † +5.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Scilly Islands

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1939 at 1840 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9045
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mount Batten - Mount Batten
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a maritime patrol flight, the crew was short of fuel and decided to land by the Scilly Islands. The float plane landed by gale and lost its left float before coming to rest. All 13 crewmen were rescued by the crew of a nearby ship, during which the ship collided with the stricken Sunderland and sank it quickly.
Crew:
F/Lt Ernest Leslie Hyde, pilot,
P/O. W. H. Tremar, copilot,
W/O Castle,
AC1 Stringer,
AC1 Dark,
AC1 Perry,
AC1 Dennis Sinclair Lloyd,
AC1 Hosking,
AC1 Athins,
AC1 Arundell,
AC1 Marles,
Lt Carron,
W/O Haley.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Milford Haven: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L2165
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pembroke Dock - Pembroke Dock
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight. En route, the pilot encountered a hazardous situation with the simultaneous failure of all four engines. He attempted to ditch the float plane that stalled and crashed into the Milford Haven near Pembroke Dock. All 10 crewmen were killed.
Crew (210th Squadron):
F/Lt. Thomas Ivor Davies, pilot,
P/O Gordon William Sutton, copilot,
P/O Gordon William Brant, copilot,
Cpl Ronald Wesley Ewens,
AC1 Michael Murphy,
AC1 Frederick Jesse Soffe,
AC1 William Arthur Soanes, mechanic,
AC1 Frederick Ernest Hudson,
AC2 Jack Moss, wireless operator,
AC2 William Attrata O'Brien.
Probable cause:
Failure of all four engines caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Pembroke Dock

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1939 at 1830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6135
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Birżebbuġa - Pembroke Dock
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Birżebbuġa (Kalafrana), the crew started the approach to Pembroke Dock in poor weather conditions. Upon landing downwind on Milford Haven off Pembroke Dock, the float plane lost its both wingtip floats and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Singapore: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1939 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L5801
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Singapore - Singapore
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off, while climbing, the seaplane stalled and crashed into the Johore Strait, off the Singapore-Seletar Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and four crew members were injured while four others were killed.
Crew:
AC1 G. W. J. Mills, †
AC1 W. B. Cook, †
P/O A. H. Barnes, †
AC1 G. H. Leighton, †
F/O W. W. Campbell,
Cpl S. H. Williams,
LAC J. J. A. Smith,
AC1 J. Colville.
Probable cause:
It appears that the accident was caused by the failure of the control systems.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Milford Haven: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L2162
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training exercise. While approaching Angle Bay, off Milford Haven, the seaplane landed hard, broke in two and sank. Two crewmen were killed while all six others occupants were rescued.