Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK Dakota IV in Luqa

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1946
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGKD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Luqa - London
MSN:
14150/25595
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian I in Broglie: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1946 at 0615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGMF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lydda - London
MSN:
1186
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training mission between Lydda and London. While overflying France, west of Evreux, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility when the aircraft crashed in a field and disintegrated on impact. A crew member survived while eight other occupants were killed. It is believed the loss of control may have been caused by a navigational error or occurred when the pilot attempted to establish a visual control with the ground.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL in Luqa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1946
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGHT
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Luqa – Londres
MSN:
10103
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the captain informed ATC that the left engine failed and obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing. During the last turn, the right engine failed as well. The pilot nosed down for an immediate landing when the aircraft plunged into the earth and hit violently the runway surface. It bounced, went out of control and veered off runway before coming to rest in flames. A crew member was killed while four others were injured.
Probable cause:
Immediately after rotation, the crew modified the position of the fuel selector on auxiliary tanks that were insufficiently filled. It resulted an almost simultaneous failure of both engines due to fuel starvation.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian I in Sydney

Date & Time: May 2, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGMC
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
London – Sydney
MSN:
1183
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, an undercarriage failed. The aircraft skidded for several yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DL in Oviedo

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1946
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGHK
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gibraltar – London
MSN:
9406
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute from Gibraltar to London, the crew encountered an engine failure. The captain contacted ATC and decided to divert to Oviedo Airport. After touchdown with one engine inoperative, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. All occupants escaped unhurt but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.61 Halifax B.III off Gibraltar: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1946
Operator:
Registration:
PN387
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gibraltar – London
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Gibraltar, controls jammed. Eight crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed into the sea some 6 miles off the Trinity Lighthouse. These eight crewmen plus another one were found alive while four others were killed.
Probable cause:
Controls jammed on takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK Dakota IV in Marseille: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1946 at 1825 LT
Operator:
Registration:
KN557
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Palermo - London
MSN:
16423/33171
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Palermo to London with released British soldiers returning home. While flying south of Marseille at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and was destroyed upon impact. On the scene, rescuers were able to evacuate a passenger seriously injured while 25 other occupants were killed. Few hours later, the only survivor died from his injuries. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to snow falls and the aircraft was following a wrong path.
Crew (271st Squadron):
F/Lt William George Elliott Buchanan, pilot,
F/Sgt Edwin Alan Chapman, copilot,
W/O John Wyvill Suart, navigator,
F/O Ralph Nathaniel Smith, wireless operator.
Passengers:
LAC Stephen Michael Aungier,
LAC John Kendal Bond,
Drv Henry Canham,
LAC Charles George Cottle,
LAC Henry Cunningham,
LAC Gwilym Daniels,
LAC Ernest John Fessi,
Pvt John James Flanagan,
LAC Leonard Roy Fouracre,
Sap Eric Gardham,
LAC Trevor Ernest Giles,
LAC Ronald Gillingham,
Cpt Paul Verrier Isaac,
Cpt Wilfred Kendrick Lloyd,
Lt Peter Marriott,
Lt John Harold Nutt,
Cpl Walter Peacock,
Pvt Benjamin Price,
Lt Maurice Ernest Rennie,
Lt Robert Thomas Tobias,
Lt Stanley Charles Turner,
Cpt George Wood.
Probable cause:
It appears that the aircraft was off course at the time of the accident following erroneous information received by the crew from the ground control service. Due to low visibility caused by snow falls, the crew was unable to distinguish the mountainous area and this resulted in a controlled flight into terrain.

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 Consolidated LB-30 Liberator VI in Brussels: 31 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1945 at 2045 LT
Operator:
Registration:
KL595
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London – Brussels – New Delhi
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
Following a long takeoff roll, the aircraft rotated but failed to gain sufficient height. At the end of the runway, the four engine aircraft hit a mound, nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All 31 occupants were killed.
Crew (206th Squadron):
F/Lt Peter Green, pilot,
F/O John Dolphin Freckleton, pilot,
F/Sgt Dennis George Nightall, flight engineer,
F/O Bernard Connor, navigator,
F/O Harry Thomas Walter Alderton, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
S/Ldr Richard Charles Rivaz,
Dvr Rowland George Ashton,
Dvr William George Bayfeild,
Dvr George Henry Bowyer,
Dvr Leslie John Brannon,
Cpl Frederick John Edwin Cooper,
Cpt Philip Brian Crosby,
Dvr Sydney Crouch,
Pvt Cecil Henry Ellis,
Pvt Eric Joshua Ellis,
Pvt James Etheridge,
Pvt Cyril James Evans,
Pvt Richard Evans,
Pvt Bernard Fannon,
Pvt Thomas Fleming,
Pvt Thomas Henry Forsyth,
Dvr Albert Garner,
Dvr George Gibson,
Dvr Albert Edward Hubble,
Dvr William James Keeley,
Dvr Kenneth Mann,
Dvr Derick Moore,
Dvr Charles Mark,
Cpl Reginald Walter Pluck,
Dvr Reginald Pritchard,
Pvt Geoffrey Jack Withers.
Probable cause:
The rotation was attempted at an insufficient speed and the aircraft was in stall condition after liftoff.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling IV in Rennes: 26 killed

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1945 at 0030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LJ668
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cairo - London
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
Enroute, the crew informed ground he was short of fuel and elected to divert to Rennes Airport. At 0028LT, the radio operator reported the fuel reserve were estimated for 10 minutes. Two minutes later, while completing a last turn in poor weather conditions, the aircraft nosed down and crashed in flames in a field short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 26 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, visibility was poor due to low clouds, and the airfield was not sufficiently lighted.
Crew (299th Squadron):
F/O Charles Thomas Dillon, pilot,
F/Lt Donald William Lee, navigator,
F/Sgt Donald Wareham, flight engineer,
W/O Alan Griffiths, bomb aimer,
W/O Victor Gerald Last, air gunner,
W/O Eric Antony Pether, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
Lt Col Alexander John Severs Mackenzie,
C/O Dorothy Mary Mackenzie,
Cpl Margery Greenfield,
Pvt Margaret Jean Mortlock,
LAC Agnes Aitchison Maltby,
Cpl Edward Vernon Maltby,
Sgt Hilda Victoria Timms,
Lt Jack Edward Lloyd,
Lt Frederick Edmund Withers,
Lt Col George Howard Jones,
Sgt Marie Elsie Isabel Innes,
Sgt John Edward Timms,
Cpt Cecil Tom Keates,
Pvt Leonard Harold North,
Lt John Alexander Leo Carus,
AC1 Harry Ronald Goulding,
LAC Sidney George Wordsworth,
LAC John Ernest Simcock,
Maj Samuel Harry Arthur Williams,
AC1 Joseph McWilliams.