United Kingdom | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF North Luffenham. For unknown reasons, the airplane overshot upon landing and crashed into a brick wall. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and both occupants were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt T. A. Stewart,
F/Sgt S. W. Osman.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Manchester

Date & Time: May 1, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

L7529

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Manchester - Manchester

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Manchester-Ringway Airport, while in initial climb, the crew lost control of the aircraft that crashed near the runway. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all 7 crew members were uninjured. The accident occurred while the airplane was towing a glider.
Crew:
F/O I. W. R. Walmsley +6.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Sotby

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942 at 1525 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

R5541

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Woodhall Spa - Woodhall Spa

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a training sortie out from RAF Woodhall Spa. En route, he encountered an unexpected situation and the airplane crash landed in Sotby, Lincolnshire. Both crew members were slightly injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt A. I. Altree,
F/Sgt C. W. Brown.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off South Stack: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942 at 1350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

DV442

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Harwell - Harwell

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Harwell on a training sortie. In flight, one of the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when control was lost and the airplane crashed into the sea off the South Stack Lighthouse. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Eric Boaler, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Longhurst, pilot,
Sgt Cornelius Gerard Roughan, observer.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Leeming

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942 at 1210 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W1054

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following a transit flight, the airplane landed at 1210LT at RAF Leeming in strong cross wind conditions, which resulted in the airplane swinging off the runway and coming to rest with its undercarriage collapsed. There were no casualties.
Crew:
F/Lt Alan Egbert Hacking, pilot.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.95 Hertfordshire near Great Ouseburn: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.95 Flamingo

Operator:

Registration:

R2764

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

East Fortune - Hendon

MSN:

95003

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3755

Circumstances:

The object of the flight was to take four Russian Military Officers on a tour of inspection. The aircraft had earlier in the day flown from Hendon to Kirton-of-Tealing and thence to East Fortune. It was refueled at Tealing and was not serviced in any way at East Fortune. At 1625LT the captain took off from RAF East Fortune to fly back to Hendon. When approximately 3 ½ miles north of Great Ouseburn, York’s and flying at a height of about 2,000 feet, a defect developed in the starboard engine which caused n°7 cylinder to become detached from the crankcase. A fire broke out almost immediately in the neighborhood of the starboard engine nacelle and was of sufficient intensity to cause the starboard wing to break off at a point just outboard of the engine bearers and also to cause the starboard engine to break away. The fuselage, port wing, port engine and port undercarriage unit fell to the ground and burst into flames. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O I. Ramsey, pilot,
Sgt J. B. Smith, observer,
F/Sgt A. J. Stripp, radio operator,
Lac J. Lewis, fitter.
Passengers:
S/L K. W. Edwards,
F/Lt F. W. Wilton,
Col Pugatchev,
Maj Asyamov,
Maj P. Baranov,
Maj B. Shvetsov.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident was failure of the starboard engine. The reason for this cannot be stated with certainty but the evidence suggests that n°6 piston failed first and that this was followed by a rapid internal break up resulting in the knocking off of n°7 cylinder. This was followed by fire in the engine nacelle which quickly became very intense – probably as a result of the explosion of a wing fuel tank. The starboard wing then broke off and the engine fell out. The fuselage and tailplane were struck by some part of the detached wing or by the engine.
- There was no evidence that the servicing of this aircraft had been inadequate.
- There was no evidence to suggest sabotage.
- The pilot was experienced and fully qualified to carry out this flight.
- Apart from this accident and one in October 1940 (Hertfordshire R.2510), the D.H.95 seems to have a good record.

Final Report:

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I near RAF Ballykelly: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

AW271

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Ballykelly - Ballykelly

MSN:

9949

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Ballykelly. The goal of the mission was to test the parachute extraction system. While in a circuit in the vicinity of the airbase, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Richard William Gilbert Holdsworth, pilot,
F/Lt Archibald Duncan Livingstone, pilot,
F/Sgt Stanley Frederick Chadwick, observer.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after a parachute got entangled in the tail.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7 Boston III in London

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

AL744

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Great Massingham - Great Massingham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham on an operation to Abbeville. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak and badly damaged. Nevertheless, the crew was able to return to England but the airplane crashed upon landing at Gatwick Airport and was damaged beyond repair. All four crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/Lt Hadley James Houghton, pilot,
W/O Walter George Davies, observer,
F/Sgt William Stanley Dossett, wireless operator,
Sgt James Gerald Edward Ploughman, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88D-1 in Crockey Hill: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1942 at 0300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

M2+CH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1334

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in an operation to York. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a British fighter and crashed in Crockey Hill, south of York. A crew was killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Lt Werner Boy, pilot, †
Uffz Karl Kugler, observer,
Uffz Willi Schindler, radio operator,
Gefr Heinz Möller, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 off Whitby: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

3Z+LV

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

0289

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in an operation to York. Approaching the British coast, it was shot down by a British fighter and crashed into the North Sea off Whitby. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Armin Körfer, pilot,
Uffz Heinrich Müller, observer,
Fw Fritz Ernst, radio operator,
Ogfr Hermann Schleising, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

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