United Kingdom

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Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

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During a training sortie, the engine number three failed. The captain decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to ditch the aircraft when the same engine caught fire. Shortly later, the engine detached and the seaplane hit the water surface at high speed, overturned and came to rest off Southend. Six crew members were injured while the captain and all three passengers were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the engine failure was not determined with certainty. However, the absence of an experienced copilot was considered as a contributory factor as the workload caused by an emergency situation was too heavy for the sole captain.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian 3 in Belfast

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Avro 691 Lancastrian

Operator:

Registration:

G-AHBU

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

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MSN:

1289

YOM:

1946

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The takeoff was attempted in poor weather conditions. During takeoff roll started in visual reference, the visibility was insufficient and the captain decided to swap to instrument references. Control was lost and the airplane skidded and then swerved before coming to rest in the Cromlin river. All three crew members were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B2 in Mautby: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Avro 694 Lincoln

Operator:

Registration:

RE373

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Hemswell - Hemswell

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The crew was completing a night training sortie from RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire. While cruising northwest of Great Yarmouth, the crew encountered very poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and heavy turbulence. The aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Mautby. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (97th Squadron):
F/Lt Stanley Frederick Whitlock, pilot,
F/Lt Jack Anthony Guest, pilot,
F/Lt John George Cook, navigator,
F/Lt Ronald Vernon Havard, navigator and bomb aimer,
Albert Wattleworth, signaler,
Vincent Orville Woods, air gunner,
William Allison, flight engineer,
Roy Andrew Trundle, air gunner,
LAC Denis Frederick Cummings.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the loss of control was caused by heavy turbulence encountered while flying in thunderstorm activity but evidence was inconclusive.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII in RAF Bovingdon

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Payloads Charter Company

Registration:

G-AIWT

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

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MSN:

1338

YOM:

1946

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Crashed on landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Vickers 491 Viking C.1A in Aberdeen

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viking

Operator:

Registration:

VL245

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

MSN:

144

YOM:

1946

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Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The captain decided to make an emergency landing and the aircraft crash landed in a field located 3 km from the airport. All 11 occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in RAF Dishforth

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

MW223

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

MW223

YOM:

1945

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The crew was completing a training sortie in RAF Dishforth. Upon landing, while decelerating, the engine number two caught fire. The captain applied full brakes and stopped the aircraft. All five crew members were able to leave the cabin before the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Failure of a hydraulic line connected to the landing gear, causing the fluid to flow into the number two engine's nacelle. In contact with high temperature parts, the fluid caught fire.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth in Eaton Bray

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Nayler Air Services

Registration:

G-ABYP

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

White Waltham – Eaton Bray

MSN:

2233

YOM:

1932

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On approach to Eaton Bray aerodrome, the single engine aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. Both occupants, among them the pilot and owner Joan Nayler, were quickly rescued and uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Source & photos: http://www.onthewire.co.uk/bray4.htm

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK Dakota C.4 in Westgate-on-Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

KJ984

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Minister of Supply & Aircraft Production

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

MSN:

14977/26422

YOM:

1944

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The crew was completing a training sortie and while cruising at low height with an engine inoperative, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Westgate-on-Sea. Both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the loss of control could not be determined with certainty. However, investigators confirmed the aircraft was flying with an engine inoperative as voluntarily shut down by the crew for the exercise. Also, the pilot was able to recover from the spin but unfortunately too late as the distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient when stall occurred.

Crash of an Avro 689 Tudor 2 in Woodford: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Avro 689 Tudor

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGSU

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site: