Zone

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X off Cayeux-sur-Mer: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HE862
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kirmington - Kirmington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Kirmington at 2119LT on April 16 on an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base the following night, it developed engine trouble and was ditched in the sea off Cayeux-sur-Mer. Two crew members were rescued and three others were killed.
Crew:
F/O Selwyn Jaques Lupton, pilot, †
F/O Roderick Alan Lord, navigator,
Sgt John Paul Merton, bomb aimer, †
Sgt William Forster Whitfield, wireless operator, †
F/O Eric George Hadingham, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine trouble in flight.