Scilly Islands | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 2039LT on April 13 on an operation to La Spezia. While returning to base the following morning, it was ditched into the sea off the Isles of Scilly. The crew were in their dinghy for 63 hours before being taken aboard a high speed launch.
Crew:
F/O M. E. Chivers, pilot,
Sgt E. A. Vale,
Sgt V. A. Rimmer,
Sgt M. James,
Sgt D. G. Shea,
Sgt S. A. White,
Sgt E. G. Smith, air gunner.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-3 off Scilly Islands: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1941 at 0944 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

4T+EH

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

3309

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The airplane was shot down by a Hurricane and crashed into the sea off Scilly Islands. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Franz Ringhofer, pilot,
Insp Kurt Heilig, observer,
Uffz Georg Beck, radio operator,
Gefr Paul Seela, radio operator,
Ofw Otto Wannek, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon II off the Scilly Islands: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1941 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon

Operator:

Registration:

G-ACPY

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Saint Mary's - Saint Just

MSN:

6076

YOM:

1934

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The airplane was carrying five passengers and a pilot from Saint Mary's, Scilly Islands, to Saint-Just. While flying off the Scilly Islands, it was shot down by the pilot of a German Heinkel He.111 and crashed into the sea. All six occupants were killed, among them five members of the same family. The mother was secretary to the Director General of the Ministry of Information. The father was the Secretary of Anglo-Egyptian Chamber of Commerce in London. All were flying back to Saint-Just following holidays on the Scilly Islands. At the time of the accident, the airplane was under camouflage colourscheme.
Crew:
W. D. Anderson, pilot.
Passengers:
Sheelagh Leggitt,
John Leggitt,
Jeannie Leggitt (11 years old),
Romalita Leggitt (9 years old),
Georgina Griffith (mother of Mrs. Leggitt).

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Scilly Islands: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

AD753

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Lindholme - Lindholme

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The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1205LT on an operation to Brest. While flying at an altitude of 500 feet, it entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea off Scilly Islands. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald Frank Cheesman,
P/O Hugh Murtagh Macrossan,
Sgt John Henry Matthews,
Sgt Frederick Richard Worthington.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Scilly Islands

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1939 at 1840 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

N9045

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Mount Batten - Mount Batten

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Following a maritime patrol flight, the crew was short of fuel and decided to land by the Scilly Islands. The float plane landed by gale and lost its left float before coming to rest. All 13 crewmen were rescued by the crew of a nearby ship, during which the ship collided with the stricken Sunderland and sank it quickly.
Crew:
F/Lt Ernest Leslie Hyde, pilot,
P/O. W. H. Tremar, copilot,
W/O Castle,
AC1 Stringer,
AC1 Dark,
AC1 Perry,
AC1 Dennis Sinclair Lloyd,
AC1 Hosking,
AC1 Athins,
AC1 Arundell,
AC1 Marles,
Lt Carron,
W/O Haley.