Crash of a Douglas DC-3A in Whitchurch

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGJU
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
12169
YOM:
1943
Location:
Whitchurch AFB (Bristol)
Gloucestershire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest. All three crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-194 into the Bay of Biscay: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1943 at 1254 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGBB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lisbon – Bristol
MSN:
1590
YOM:
1936
Flight number:
2L577
Location:
Bay of Biscay
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Lisbon-Portela de Sacavém at 0730LT on a regular schedule flight to RAF Whitchurch, Bristol. While cruising over the Bay of Biscay, it was intercepted and shot down by eight German Junkers JU.88 fighters. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea some 350 km north of La Coruna, Spain. All 17 occupants, among them the British actor Leslie Howard, were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Quirinus Tepas Obe, pilot,
Cpt Dirk de Koning, pilot,
Cornelis van Brugge, radio operator,
Engbertus Rosevink, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Leslie Howard,
Alfred T. Chenhalls,
Kenneth Stonehouse,
Evelyn Peggy Margetts Stonehouse,
Rotha Hutcheon
Petra Hutcheon,
Carolina Hutcheon,
Cecelia Emilia Falla Paton,
Tyrrell Mildmay Shervington,
Ivan James Sharp,
Wilfrid Israel,
Francis German Cowlrick,
Gordon Thompson MacLean.
Probable cause:
Shot down by German fighters. Theories abound that the aircraft, a Douglas DC-3, was attacked because the Germans believed that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was aboard. Other theories suggest the DC-3 was targeted because several passengers, including Howard, were British spies. During the Second World War, British and German civilian aircraft operated out of the same facilities at Portela and the incoming and outgoing traffic was watched by Allied and Axis spies. The Lisbon - Bristol route frequently carried agents and escaped PoWs to Britain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Loppington: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
EB405
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Whitchurch - Sleap
MSN:
2830
YOM:
1942
Location:
Loppington
Shropshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On approach to RAF Sleap, the airplane crashed in Loppington, 3 km northwest of the airbase. All five crew members were killed. The accident occurred after two missed approaches.
Crew:
Sgt Harry James Spiers, pilot,
Sgt Harold Leather, navigator,
Sgt John James Brown, bomb aimer,
Sgt James William Scott, wireless operator,
Sgt William Arthur Cadel, air gunner.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.91 Albatross in Reykjavik

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.91 Albatross
Operator:
Registration:
AX904
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Whitchurch - Reykjavik
MSN:
6801
YOM:
1938
Location:
Reykjavik
Capital Region (Höfuðborgarsvæði)
Country:
Iceland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Reykjavik Airport, the undercarriage collapsed. The airplane named 'Franklin' slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest on the runway. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all four crew members were uninjured.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.91 Albatross in Pucklechurch

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1940
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.91 Albatross
Operator:
Registration:
G-AFDL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Croydon – Whitchurch
MSN:
6805
YOM:
1939
Location:
Pucklechurch
Gloucestershire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a regular schedule flight to the RAF Whitchurch, south of Bristol. While on approach, the crew encountered engine problems and attempted to make an emergency landing in a field located in Pucklechurch, northeast of the airport. Just prior to touchdown, the four engine aircraft impacted a house and crashed in a field. All 12 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft named 'Fingal' was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
All four engines failed on approach after a fuel line ruptured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Moth off Penzance: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1931
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
G-AAJR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Whitchurch – Hamble
MSN:
1050
YOM:
1929
Location:
Penzance
Cornwall
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Whitchurch on a flight to Hamble. Heading to the south, the airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Penzance. SAR operations failed to find any trace of the aircraft and the pilot.
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