Spitalgate AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Suffered an undercarriage failure while taxiing at RAF Spitalgate. Both occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage failure during taxiing.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford near Longnor: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1941 at 1205 LT

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

V3626

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Spitalgate - Spitalgate

MSN:

3168

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

The pilot was performing a solo training flight out from RAF Spitalgate. En route, he lost his orientation due to poor weather conditions. Probably to determine his position, he decided to reduce his altitude when the airplane impacted the ground and crashed in Fawside Edge, near Longnor. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the pilot was killed.
Crew (12th SFTS):
LAC Raymond Henry Wattie Dix, pilot.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Grantham: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1941 at 2119 LT

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

AB767

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Spitalgate - Spitalgate

MSN:

PAC.219

YOM:

1941

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The crew departed RAF Spitalgate on a night training exercise. While cruising over the city of Grantham, the airplane collided with a German Air Force Junkers JU.88. Both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed. The Oxford crashed at Dysart Road in Grantham and the JU.88 crashed near Barrowby, west of Grantham. All five crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
Cpl Samuel John Edwards, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Daye Graham, pilot.

Crash of a Vickers 115 Virginia VII off Sheerness

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1927 at 2100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Virginia

Operator:

Registration:

J7425

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Manston – Spitalgate

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The crew departed Manston on a night flight to RAF Spitalgate. En route, the engines lost power and failed. The crew ditched the aircraft in the Thames estuary off Sheerness at 2100LT. All four occupants were rescued about six hours later by the crew of the trawler SS Pickmere. The aircraft was lost.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the engine failure was due to two of the main petrol cocks being turned off.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.9 at RAF Spitalgate: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1922

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.9

Operator:

Registration:

E967

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Spitalgate - Spitalgate

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Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Spitalgate on a training mission. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled, entered a dive and crashed, killing both pilots.
Crew:
F/O Charles Willie Bragg,
LAC Walter Wren.