Region
Europe
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UK

Crash of an Avro 19/2 in Luton

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 19
Operator:
Registration:
G-AIKM
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1364
YOM:
1946
Location:
Luton
Bedfordshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Luton, the crew encountered an unknown technical problem and elected to return. The pilot in command realized this would not be possible so he reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. The twin engine aircraft belly landed in a pasture and skidded for several yards before coming to rest with the left engine sheared off. Both crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Finningley

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 619 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
PF943
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Finningley - Finningley
Location:
Finningley AFB (Doncaster)
South Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie in RAF Finningley. Upon landing, the aircraft swung on runway, went out of control and came to rest. All crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Croydon

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALFJ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Croydon
Surrey
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Croydon Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft suffered an engine failure, stalled and crashed onto a hangar. The pilot was rescued and unhurt and luckily, no one was injured in the hangar. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Uffington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
NK380
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Uffington
Berkshire
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 was sole on board this Anson registered NK380 and was completing a combined exercice with a second Avro Anson registered EG251 and carrying one pilot as well. Both crew were involved in an ATC school exercice. In flight, the pilot of the first Avro (EG251) started a turn when it collided with the second aircraft. Both airplanes went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Uffington, Berkshire. Both aircraft were destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot of EG251 started a turn without knowing the exact position of the second aircraft that he collided with.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Uffington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
EG251
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Uffington
Berkshire
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 was sole on board this Anson registered EG251 and was completing a combined exercice with a second Avro Anson registered NK380 and carrying one pilot as well. Both crew were involved in an ATC school exercice. In flight, the pilot of the first Avro started a turn when it collided with the second aircraft. Both airplanes went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Uffington, Berkshire. Both aircraft were destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot of EG251 started a turn without knowing the exact position of the second aircraft that he collided with.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson T.21 in Exhall: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1949 at 0945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
VV243
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Mepal
Location:
Exhall
Warwickshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising in VFR mode over the region of Coventry at an altitude of 4,500 feet, the Anson collided with a BEA C-47 registered G-AHCW and carrying four crew members and six passengers from Northolt to Glasgow. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Exhall, north of Coventry. All 14 occupants in both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of a midair collision. Since neither aircraft took any apparent avoiding action it must be concluded that the pilot of the Anson did not see the Dakota and that the pilots of the Dakota did not see the Anson. This must be attributed to failure on the part of the captain of each aircraft to ensure the maintenance of an effective lookout.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK Dakota C.3 in Exhall: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1949 at 0945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
G-AHCW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Northolt – Glasgow
MSN:
13308
YOM:
1944
Location:
Exhall
Warwickshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While cruising in VFR mode over the region of Coventry at an altitude of 4,500 feet, the C-47 collided with a RAF Avro Anson registered VV243 and carrying four pilots under training. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Exhall, north of Coventry. All 14 occupants in both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of a midair collision. Since neither aircraft took any apparent avoiding action it must be concluded that the pilot of the Anson did not see the Dakota and that the pilots of the Dakota did not see the Anson. This must be attributed to failure on the part of the captain of each aircraft to ensure the maintenance of an effective lookout.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in RAF Shepherds Grove

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
PA410
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Shepherds Grove AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following the failure of two engines, the aircraft belly landed at RAF Shepherds Grove and came to rest in flames. While all crew members of the 149th Squadron escaped unhurt, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide in Chipping Sodbury: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1949
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Registration:
NF857
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
6728
YOM:
1944
Location:
Chipping Sodbury
Gloucestershire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Few minutes after his departure from RAF Colerne, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a field located one mile north of Chipping Sodbury. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-70-BN Superfortress near Lochgoilhead: 20 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1949 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-62276
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Scampton - Keflavik - Schilling
MSN:
11753
YOM:
1944
Location:
Lochgoilhead
Argyll & Bute
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a flight from RAF Scampton (Lincolnshire) to Schilling AFB (Smoky Hill AFB) in Salina, Kansas, with an intermediate stop in Keflavik. While flying over Scotland at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and requested to ATC the permission to climb to 14,400 feet. Shortly later, at a speed of 500 km/h, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of the Stob na Boine Druim-fhinn mountain located two miles northwest of Lochgoilhead. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 20 occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Sheldon C. Craigmyle, pilot,
1st Lt Myrton P. Barry, copilot,
1st Lt Richard D. Klingenberg, navigator,
1st Lt Robert A. Fritsche, bombardier.
Passengers:
T/Sgt Delbert E. Cole,
M/Sgt Wayne W. Baker,
T/Sgt John B. Lapicca,
S/Sgt Malcolm W. Bovard,
Sgt Anthony V. Chrisides,
Sgt Rufus W. Mangum,
Pfc Jack L. Heacock,
M/Sgt Henry P. Prestoch,
T/Sgt Frank M. Dobbs Jr.,
Sgt Cecil G. Jones,
Sgt Charles W. Hess,
Pfc Robert Brown Jr.,
T/Sgt Rufus G. Taylor,
Sgt Paul W. Knight,
Pfc Frederick N. Cook,
Pfc Bruce J. Krumhols.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident was not determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the loss of control was caused by heavy icing conditions was not ruled out.
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