Maastricht | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While on an ILS approach to Basel Airport, when the decision height of 200 feet was reached, the crew realized the airplane was too much left to the glide. The pilot-in-command attempted to correct the situation but this was excessive so the aircraft descended to the right, struck the ground, went through a fence and eventually collided with a snow berm. Both occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Maastricht: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1943 at 0127 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

HR697

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Melbourne - Melbourne

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The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 2309LT on June 28 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the city of Maastricht. Seven crew members were killed and one air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Roy Hamilton Geddes, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Stirratt White, pilot, †
Sgt David Brown, navigator, †
P/O Herbert Ernest Cross, navigator, †
P/O Reginald Eric Bradshaw, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt Clifford Entwistle, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Robert Shannon, air gunner,
Sgt Albert William Booth, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Maastricht: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 30, 1943 at 0043 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 440 Wellington X

Operator:

Registration:

HE203

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Burn - Burn

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The airplane departed RAF Burn at 2310LT on May 29 on an operation to Wuppertal. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Hees, a district of Maastricht. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Arthur Holdsworth Smith, pilot,
Sgt James Henry Bloxwich, navigator,
F/Sgt Alan Spence, bomb aimer,
Sgt Benjamin King, wireless operator,
Sgt Martin Levi Buxton, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Maastricht: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1943 at 0136 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 440 Wellington X

Operator:

Registration:

HF488

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Ingham - Ingham

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The airplane departed RAF Ingham in the evening of May 25 on an operation to Düsseldorf. Outbound at 15,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Caberg, a district of Maastricht. Four crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
F/O D. Makin, pilot, †
F/Lt F. S. Reade, navigator,
F/O R. T. Douglas, bomb aimer, †
Sgt W. H. Thomson, wireless operator, †
Sgt T. M. Scott, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Maastricht: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1942 at 2238 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

BJ729

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Croft - Croft

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The airplane departed RAF Croft at 1821LT on an operation to Aachen. Over Maastricht, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the city. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O Thomas E. Powell, pilot,
F/O Francis L. Todd, navigator,
F/Sgt Joseph L. O. Grady, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Guy J. H. McElroy, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Howard Broom, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Maastricht: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1941 at 0115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1040

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Honington - Honington

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The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2340LT on July 7 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in Maastricht. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Douglas James Jamieson, pilot,
Sgt Wilfred George Jesson, pilot,
P/O Grossett Keith Coates, pilot,
Sgt Cyril George Blandon, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman Walter Harding, wireless operator,
Sgt John Stanley Burnside, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Maastricht: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1941 at 2255 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

AD828

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lindholme - Lindholme

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The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1930LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While passing over the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.110 and crashed near the airport of Maastricht. The pilot was killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O David Evan Frank Powell, pilot, †
Sgt J. A. Davis,
Sgt R. E. Drake,
Sgt F. C. Snook.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Dornier DO.17Z-3 in Maastricht

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.17

Operator:

Registration:

5K+FA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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MSN:

2591

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The crew lost his orientation and was forced to make an emergency landing. There were no casualties and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Maastricht

Date & Time: May 12, 1940 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N6151

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Alconbury - Alconbury

MSN:

9251

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft departed RAF Alconbury to bomb bridges over the Albert Canal. Approaching the target, it was shot down by Flak and crash landed near Masstricht. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Frank Russell Pepper, pilot,
Sgt Raymond Booth, observer,
LAC John Scott, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Maastricht: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4826

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Plivot - Plivot

MSN:

9341

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed Plivot on a bombing mission over a German column moving in Maastricht. Approaching the target, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crash landed near Maastricht. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Andrew Wynyard Lee, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Belk Keegan, observer,
LAC Charles C. Child, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.