United Kingdom

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chivenor - Chivenor

MSN:

814

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following a maritime patrol flight (antisubmarine mission), the airplane was returning to base at RAF Chivenor when the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility. The crew contacted ATC to obtain assistance but the frequency used was not the correct one. Approaching the coast at a very low altitude, the airplane collided with the shoreline cliff located about 3 km east of Hartland Point. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt George Oscar Broussard Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Leonard L. Deshant, copilot,
T/Sgt Grant L. Craig, flight engineer,
T/Sgt George Malham Shaheen, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt Robert Lucian Shedden, navigator,
T/Sgt Harold Kaplan, radio operator,
T/Sgt Frank Kozjak Jr., assistant radio operator,
S/Sgt Louis A. Nagy, radar operator,
2nd Lt Elliot Ernest Stone, bombardier,
T/Sgt Bernard F. Hickman, air gunner.

Probable cause:

In the judgment of the American Unit, this loss was quite unnecessary, and could have been avoided either by the pilot who had adequate fuel, remaining off the coast until he was able to get ground assistance, or "if he was going on instruments, to proceed to do so at a safe altitude," or by "the exercise of better judgment by the officer in charge of the 19 Group radio station." With some feeling, the loss report observed: "he aircraft was obviously in difficulty, consequently it is believed that the 19 Group Station should not have quibbled about a technicality." The report also noted that "strong verbal representation has been made to the AOC, 19 Group (that it was essential) that in an emergency, all possible assistance will not be withheld because of a technicality." The radio operator had requested homing assistance from the 19 Group Controller seven times in the space of 38 minutes, four times prefaced immediate or priority.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Helland

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1943 at 1530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

V9042

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Saint Eval - Saint Eval

MSN:

414-2566

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF St Eval on a patrol mission. En route, weather conditions worsened and the crew was unable to return to base. In such circumstances, the five crew members bailed out. After it ran out of fuel, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located in Helland. Four crew members parachuted to safety and a fifth was seriously injured following a hard landing.
Crew:
Sgt Oakes, pilot +4.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II on the Isle of Wight

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1943 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

Operator:

Registration:

AE876

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

MSN:

4219

YOM:

1942

Location:

Isle of Wight

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 1220LT on an operation to the airport of Cherbourg-Maupertus, with five other similar airplanes. It was hit by the German Flak and the crew elected to return to base but was eventually forced to make an emergency landing on the Isle of Wight. A crew was injured.
Crew (464th Squadron):
Sgt H. Pilkington, pilot,
Sgt S. W. Wood,
Sgt G. W. Sivell,
Sgt H. S. Fidge, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Beguildy

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1943 at 2250 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

V9046

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Saint Eval - Saint Eval

MSN:

414-2570

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Having failed to find a missing Short Sunderland, which had ditched in the sea west of the isle of Ushant off the north-west French coast, the pilot found that conditions were so poor on his return to base (RAF St Eval) that it was impossible to land. In the end, he headed for the South Wales coast and over Swansea, ordered the crew to bail out once it was reached, all did so successfully. The aircraft continued for about 100 km until it ran out of fuel and crashed into Warren Hill, near Beguildy. The aircraft was destroyed while all four crew members were unhurt.
Crew (279th Squadron):
S/L H. G. Mossford, pilot,
Sgt J. A. Wiseman, navigator,
Sgt H. Hudson, wireless operator,
Sgt H. O. Macklin, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Todmorden: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1943 at 2225 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

DT581

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Snaith - Snaith

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew had taken off from their base at RAF Snaith near Selby to drop two mines (an A.108 and B.200 type) into the sea in the Nectarines area off the Frisian Islands. The crew had been briefed to fly from base to the Mablethorpe on the Lincolnshire coast before setting course direct for the Frisian Islands and then returning via the same route. On returning they overshot their base and continued westwards. The aircraft eventually struck a drystone wall on the edge of Hoar Side Moor and slid to a halt where it burned out.
Crew (51st Squadron):
P/O Richard Donovan Getliffe, pilot,
P/O Edward Burt Chatfield, pilot,
Sgt Alexander Campbell, flight engineer,
Sgt Allan Campbell, air bomber, †
Sgt George Hugh Whyte, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt John James Merritt, air gunner,
Sgt Reginald Ernest Smart, air gunner.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/pennines/penninesdt581.htm

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Linton-on-Ouse

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1943 at 1320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

DT577

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While performing a local training flight at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, the airplane overshot while landing and crashed, wrecking its undercarriage. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. G. Gillow, pilot +4.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II in West Stow: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1943 at 1145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

Operator:

Registration:

AJ171

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

MSN:

4309

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Feltwell on a training sortie with a crew of three on board. Flying n°2 in a formation low-level dummy attack on Corby steel works, the airplane collided with a 65 feet high tree and crashed near King's Forest Lodge, West Stow. Two crew members were killed while the navigator was seriously injured. For unknown reason, the pilot was flying at an insufficient altitude and failed to sea and avoid the trees.
Crew (487th Squadron):
Sgt Gerald John Abrey, pilot, †
Sgt H. Aldridge, navigator,
F/O Frederick Douglas Drake, wireless operator and air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Pilot error.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 near Westerham: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1943 at 0430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Registration:

U5+MR

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Deelen - Deelen

MSN:

5591

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Deelen AFB on an operation to London. Approaching the target area from the south at an altitude of 12,000 feet at night, it was shot down by a British fighter and crashed near Westerham. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Joachim Schnabel, pilot,
Gefr Willi Schaefer, observer,
Gefr Erich Raab, radio operator,
Uffz Richard Hartenberger, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I at RAF Syerston

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1943 at 0120 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

R5900

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors: