Thorney Island AFB

Site:

Schedule:

Bovingdon – Thorney Island

MSN:

599

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The crew was flying back to his base at RAF Thorney Island after he took part to a rugby game at RAF Bovingdon. The departure was completed in poor weather conditions with low visibility due to snow falls. While climbing to a height of 400 feet, the pilot-in-command made a turn to the left when the aircraft hit trees and crashed in a wooded area located five miles north of the airfield. A passenger was seriously injured while 16 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, except the rear part of the fuselage.

Probable cause:

Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, the following findings were reported:
- Low visibility due to snow falls,
- The plane was carrying one extra passenger, despite having only 16 passenger seats. However, this was not considered as a contributory factor,
- weather was not considered as a factor,
- An assumption was made that the pilot was trying to fly within sight of the ground, in conditions of poor visibility.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford T.1 in Temple Guiting: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

MP287

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Thorney Island - Wellesbourne Mountford

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Circumstances:

The pilot was completing a solo training mission from RAF Thorney Island to RAF Wellesbourne Mountford, Warwickshire. En route, while cruising by night and marginal weather conditions, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located in Temple Guiting, about 10 miles northeast of Cheltenham. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the loss of control was caused by an excessive accumulation of frost or ice on the aircraft during flight. The assumption that the pilot lost his orientation due to the accretion of ice on the windshield is not ruled out.

Craysh of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Thorney Island

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 619 Wellington X

Operator:

Registration:

PG136

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Schedule:

Thorney Island - Thorney Island

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On touchdown at RAF Thorney Island, one of the main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair and there were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Thorney Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 619 Wellington X

Operator:

Registration:

NA868

Flight Phase:

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Thorney Island - Thorney Island

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The crew was performing a local training sortie at RAF Thorney Island. During the final approach completed with one engine voluntarily inoperative, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located few hundred yards short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and both crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The stall on final approach was caused by an insufficient approach speed because the crew failed to monitor the speed indicator with one engine out. The distance between the aircraft and the ground when the stall occurred was too low to expect a recovery.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Thorney Island

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 619 Wellington X

Operator:

Registration:

PG296

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Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Thorney Island. During the final approach completed with an engine voluntarily inoperative, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane when the second engine failed. The aircraft stalled and belly landed in a field located short of runway. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Hunters Burgh: 23 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1945 at 1005 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

KG630

Flight Phase:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Thorney Island – Amiens

MSN:

13390

YOM:

1944

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The aircraft left RAF Thorney Island at 0935LT bound for Amiens with six other similar aircraft, carrying 23 people, among them 17 members of the RAF, three of the RCAF, two of the RAAF and one of the RNZAF. Enroute, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a cloud layer up to 200 feet above the ground. While cruising at a height of some 150 feet, the aircraft hit the top of a hill with its right wing, went out of control and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in Hunters Burgh, near Folkington. All 23 occupants were killed.
Crew:
W/O Peter Matthew Oleinikoff, pilot,
F/Sgt Edgar Alan Barsby, copilot,
F/O Kenneth Gilbert Forseth, navigator,
F/Sgt Ronald Arthur Brock, wireless operator,
Passengers:
F/O Edward William Curtis,
P/O Colin Alexander Rattray,
Cpl Colin Gibson,
Cpl Gerald Ernest Nelson David Lee,
Cpl William George Blair,
Cpl Edwin Bruce Chadd,
Cpl David Cooper,
LAC Frank Bainbridge,
LAC Ronald Grayham Baldry,
LAC Samuel Arthur Bamber,
LAC William Daniel Davies,
LAC Thomas Henry Floody,
LAC Jack Neale,
LAC Woolf Nerden,
LAC Robert Smith,
LAC Sydney MacKenzie Smith,
LAC George Stevens,
LAC Albert Edward Dowler Wilkes,
LAC George Wilson.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden off Terschelling: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AE395

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Thorney Island - Thorney Island

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 2125LT on an anti-shipping operation off the Frisian Islands. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Terschelling. The observer was killed and three other crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Joseph Donald Penn McLeod, pilot,
F/O Clarke Munro Chambers, observer, †
Sgt William Hall Elliott Haddock, wireless operator,
P/O Douglas Henry Wraith, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator III off RAF Thorney Island

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

LV346

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Thorney Island - Thorney Island

MSN:

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a local training flight at RAF Thorney Island. On final approach, one (maybe two) engine lost power. The airplane stalled and crashed in shallow water short of runway. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (86th Squadron):
Sgt John Murray,
P/O Ronald Harwood,
P/O Alfred W. Dungate.

Probable cause:

Loss of power on one or two engine on final approach.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Cape Gris-Nez: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1942 at 0045 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N9106

Flight Phase: