Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Al Dabaa

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1942 at 2330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8976
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Abu Sueir - Abu Sueir
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Abu Sueir at 1900LT on an operation to Tobruk. At 2315LT, while approaching the target area at an altitude of 12,000 feet, it was hit by the German Flak and the left engine stopped. The crew decided to return to base but was unable to maintain altitude with only the starboard engine running. Eventually, the pilot made a smooth emergency landing in a desert area located in the Qattara Depression, near Al Dabaa. All six crew members walked for 29 days before reaching the allied lines.
Crew:
Sgt Reginald Cyril Carter, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Dennis Bebbington, pilot,
Sgt Ivor Davies, navigator,
P/O Brian Earl Johnston, wireless operator,
Sgt John Christopher Haldon, air gunner,
F/Sgt Georges Thomas Boniface Croisiau, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Borrowdale: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1942 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DV600
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Finningley - Finningley
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Finningley on a cross country exercise. While cruising at night in poor weather conditions, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Borrowdale, Cumbria. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt William Bruce Sage, pilot,
F/Sgt George Edward Derbyshire, navigator,
Sgt Jack Lionel Brovender, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt James Anderson, wireless operator,
Sgt Henry Brown Burnett, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Moreton-in-Marsh: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1942 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1232
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moreton-in-Marsh - Moreton-in-Marsh
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight at RAF Moreton-in-Marsh. For unknown reasons, the airplane overshot and crashed into trees. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Bruce Ashby Smith, pilot, †
P/O Maurice Dunn, pilot, †
Sgt Alwyn Perrett, wireless operator, †
Sgt J. F. Boyer.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Chipping Norton: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2557
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Harwell - Harwell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Harwell on a night navigation exercise. While cruising northwest of Chipping Norton, the bomber collided with a RAF Airspeed AS.10 Oxford registered T1339 that was also performing a training flight with two pilots on board. Following the collision, the Oxford exploded in mid-air while the bomber crashed onto a garage. All eight crew members were killed. There were no injuries on the ground.
Crew:
P/O Albert Wyndham Stilwell, pilot,
P/O Alan MacDonald Henderson, pilot,
Sgt Patrick O'Brien, observer,
Sgt Noel Francis Boxwell, wireless operator,
Sgt Malcolm Stevenson Haynes, wireless operator,
Sgt Frank Gillard, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off South Stack: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1172
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dale - Dale
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RNAS Dale on a cross country navigation exercise. While cruising off Anglesey, it entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea off the South Stack lighthouse. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ryszard Marian Jarno,
Sgt Ludwik Ruszel,
Sgt Antoni Tycholis,
P/O Leszek Teofil Wasilewski,
P/O Antoni Alesky Zielinski,
Sgt Grzegorz Piotr Gramiak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC on Mt Dufton Pike

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2715
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Finningley - Finningley
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Finningley at 2130LT on a night training exercise. En route, the pilot encountered foggy conditions and in low visibility, he decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground. At a height of 2,000 feet, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Dufton Pike located about 6 km north of Appleby-in-Westmorland. Upon impact, the tail was sheared off and the aircraft crashed, bursting into flames. All five crew members were injured.
Crew (25th OTU):
Sgt Basil Glynn, pilot,
Sgt Robert Lyster Skillen, navigator,
Sgt Huge William Campbell, bomb aimer,
Sgt Joseph Edward Collinson, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Harold Nelson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Freetown: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HX603
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Freetown - Lagos
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed while taking off from Hastings Airport in Freetown after the undercarriage have been raised prematurely. Four crew members were killed and a fifth was seriously injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt James Warren Cullen, pilot, †
F/Sgt George Bruce Simpson, pilot, †
Sgt Geoffrey Hugh Lawrence, observer, †
Sgt John De Medici Nelson, †
Sgt F. Browning.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage prematurely raised upon takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off RNAS Dale: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1942 at 0320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HX384
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dale - Dale
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Just after takeoff from RNAS Dale, while in initial climb at night, the airplane was caught by strong winds and crashed into the sea less than 500 metres offshore. The airplane was destroyed and all six crew members have drowned.
Crew:
Cpt Ludwik Maslanka,
Lt Tadeusz Marian Siuzdak,
Cpl Pawel Drozdziok,
Cpl Marian Jerzy Modrzewski,
Lt Michal Omieljaszko,
Cpl Stanisław Rudolph Wojtowicz.
Probable cause:
Caught by strong winds.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Lydda

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7794
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Lydda Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane impacted the ground and crashed few hundred metres short of runway and crashed. All seven crew members escaped unhurt.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Loch Lee: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7845
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Lossiemouth - Lossiemouth
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training sortie out from RAF Lossiemouth. In flight, a cowling detached and hit propeller blades, causing the engine to stop. The pilot reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing when the airplane hit the slope of a hill and crashed 5 km southwest of Loch Lee. Three crew members were killed while the rear gunner was injured.
Crew (20th OTU):
F/Sgt Arthur George Wilson Keene, pilot, †
Sgt Alfred Kirby, observer, †
Sgt Joseph Weatherson, observer, †
Sgt Oscar Knud Lerche Jensen, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of a cowling in flight and a subsequent engine failure.