Zone

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III of Herne Bay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3287
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1713LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base the following evening and while crossing the Dutch coast, the starboard engine caught fire. The airplane was abandoned by the crew and crashed into the sea off Herne Bay, Kent. Two crew members drowned and four others were injured and rescued.
Crew:
Sgt Gerald Gordon Armstrong, pilot, †
Sgt W. T. Ramey, pilot,
Sgt Peter William Bilsborough, air gunner, †
Sgt J. J. Amphlett,
Sgt K. W. Stevens,
Sgt J. Rutherford.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I off Herne Bay: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V3540
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Prestwick - Squires Gate - Kidlington
MSN:
3028
YOM:
1941
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The famous pilot Amy Johnson was completing a ferry flight from Prestwick to Kidlington to deliver the airplane. She departed Prestwick Airport on January 4 but was forced to divert to RAF Squires Gate near Blackpool due to poor weather conditions. She spent a night at Squires Gate, then took off on January 5 on a flight which should take some 90 minutes. Four and a half hours later, lost above a solid cloud layer and probably out of fuel, she baled out over the Thames Estuary. Her parachute and falling aircraft were sighted by the ships in a convoy and a gallant attempt was made to save her by the captain of a Royal Navy escort ship who dived into the freezing water to rescue her. He died later from exposure. Tragically, this effort was to no avail and Amy was drowned. Her body was never recovered.