Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland V off Lee-on-The-Solent: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1946 at 0448 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VB885
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Calshot - Karachi
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
In the early hours of February 13th, 1946, VB885, an almost new Sunderland took off from RAF Calshot on a ferry flight to Karachi. Immediately after takeoff, an engine failed and the pilot decided to return to Calshot. The first attempt at landing was aborted and the aircraft went round for another approach. However, in the dark and with apparently poor visibility, the pilot apparently misjudged his rate of descent and at 0448LT, after a flight lasting 22 minutes, the aircraft crashed into the sea 100 yards off Lee-on-The-Solent. All ten crew were killed.
Crew (302nd FTU):
P/O K. Dollin, pilot,
F/O R. B. Couchman, copilot,
F/Sgt Hamish Ian Sandison,
F/Sgt R. M. Anderson,
Sgt H. Barker,
Sgt G. Granger,
Sgt M. O'Donoghue,
Sgt H. O'Keefe,
F/Sgt L. E. Snook,
F/Sgt R. C. Stevens.
Source: http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/airfields/vb885.html
Probable cause:
Possible error in not feathering the engine number four that failed after takeoff. Maybe the clutch failed as well in which case the reaction of the pilot was correct in not feathering the engine. It was also confirmed that there was no defect on carburetor, magnetos or plugs.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland V in Tuas: 22 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NJ277
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Singapore - London
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Singapore, while climbing, the seaplane hit a hill in Tuas and was destroyed. All 22 occupants were killed, among them 17 wounded soldiers flying back home.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland V in Kuantan

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP158
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing on Kuantan River, near the city of Kuantan, the seaplane hit an unspecified object that was submerged in water. The hull ruptured, causing flooding. All 12 occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Collision with a submerged object in water.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland V into the Atlantic Ocean: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP140
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Enroute, an engine caught fire, forcing the pilot to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. The aircraft hit the water surface, overturned, exploded and sank some 100 miles northwest of Feroe Islands. All 12 crew members were killed.
Crew (330th Squadron):
Lt Olav Benum, pilot,
Cpt Fenrik Harald Morten Wiese Aarstad, pilot,
Sgt Olav Thorsen, copilot,
Sgt Vingsjt Magne Hovda, navigator,
Sgt Kaare Egil Lea, flight engineer,
Sgt Bjarne Hjalmar Christensen, flight engineer,
Sgt Jorgen Ryhl Bineau, radio operator,
Sgt Ole Edvardt Johansen, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Adolf Herman Ffrantzen, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Kaare Arctander Johansen, air gunner,
Sgt Hans Mikkelsen, air gunner,
Sgt Bror Wilfred SJödgren, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III on Mt Crownarad: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1945 at 0233 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ML743
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Captain / Total flying hours:
705
Captain / Total hours on type:
705.00
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Castle Archdale at 0203LT to localize German submarine cruising off the Irish coast. Weather conditions were marginal and the visibility was limited due to a cloud layer at 1,000 feet. The night was very dark. The aircraft passed over the village of Kellybegs and continued to the north when it hit the slope of Mt Cró na Roda (Mt Crownarad) at a height of 471 meters. All 12 occupants were killed.
Crew (201st Squadron):
F/Sgt R. D. A. Becker,
F/Sgt S. B. Frith,
F/O V. Howkins,
Sgt J. R. Mansfield,
F/Sgt J. G. Robinson,
F/S G. R. Kennedy,
Sgt F. N. G. Ford,
F/Sgt D. J. T. Twist,
F/Sgt C. J. Ryder,
F/O R. Delby,
Sgt R. F. Woodward.
Source: http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/ml743.htm
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident must remain obscure. From the evidence it would appear that the aircraft was under the control of the pilot rather than the navigator at the time immediately preceding the crash. The use of the landing light seems to indicate that the pilot was trying to pin point himself (or make a forced landing) in the opinion of this court, the pilot and navigator did not know where they were - which presupposes that they S.E. was u/s or not being used. The fact that the aircraft was on a course of 240 degrees when it crashed may indicate that the pilot realized that he was too far north and was turning back towards the southwest.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III near Irvinestown: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NJ183
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from RAF Castle Archdale, while climbing, an engine caught fire. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a pasture located three miles east of Irvinestown. All 9 crew members were killed. They were engaged in a patrol mission.
Crew (423rd Squadron):
F/O James Robert Seeger, pilot,
F/O Terence Ramsay Hailstone, copilot,
F/Lt John David Ross, navigator,
F/O John Alexander McLennan, pilot,
F/O Charles Edward Cruickshank, flight engineer,
Sgt Philip Woollatt, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Edward Frederick Knibbs, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Morley Wilbee, air gunner,
Sgt Jack Gingrich, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

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

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ML829
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Plymouth - Plymouth
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Plymouth harbor, the aircraft failed to climb and crashed into the sea. Two crew members were killed while 9 others were rescued.
Crew killed (10th Squadron):
F/Sgt Harry Thomas Groennou,
P/O Peter Malcolm Hore.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III into the Indian Ocean: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JM673
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Koggala - Koggala
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The seaplane left Koggala AFB at 0645LT on a maritime survey flight off the east coast of Ceylon, with a return scheduled at 2000LT. The radio contact was lost en route and all attempts to contact the crew between 1241LT and 2257LT were unsuccessful. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III near Enniskillen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1944 at 2155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4036
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Enniskillen - Enniskillen
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a night circular training flight in Enniskillen. On approach, the seaplane overshot the flare path and eventually crashed in the Lough Erne, few hundred yards away from the airfield. While four crew members were injured, four others were killed.
Crew (201st Squadron):
F/L D. J. Dolphin, †
F/O D. H. Longland,
F/O Gleigh,
Sgt C. V. Ford,
F/O M. Alexander,
Sgt J. B. Green, †
Sgt E. Parry, †
Sgt J. B. Cummings. †

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III in Trory: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1944 at 1250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W6028
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight in the region of Enniskillen. While cruising at low altitude, the seaplane hit power cables, lost speed, stalled and crashed in an open field. Nine crew members were injured while the tenth occupant was killed. A day later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.
Crew (422nd Squadron):
Sgt Les Hebenton, †
Sgt Reginald Bodsworth. †