Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Denham

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
P1159
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a training flight, the crew encountered bad weather conditions and made an emergency landing in Denham. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and both occupants escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IVF in Sutton-on-the-Forest: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1941 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6166
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Church Fenton - Church Fenton
MSN:
9266
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Church Fenton on a night training exercise. In unknown circumstances, the airplane went out of control and crashed in Sutton-on-the-Forest. Both crew members were seriously injured and the pilot later died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt Leonard Henry Tickner, pilot, †
Sgt Frederick Turner, observer.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Lindholme

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5560
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1710LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. It returned early with failing engines, but was ordered to divert to RAF Lindholme. While approaching the runway, the Wellington crash landed and was damaged beyond repair. All six crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt L. S. Mather,
Sgt R. N. Lonergan,
Sgt A. R. Skuthorpe,
Sgt G. A. Tilley,
Sgt P. J. Campbell,
Sgt Dodds.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V near Egremont: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941 at 2135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AM624
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Silloth - Silloth
MSN:
414-2706
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Silloth on a night training exercise. En route, one of the engine caught fire. The airplane lost height and eventually impacted the slope of Mt Dent Fell located northeast of Egremont, Cumbria. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Stuart Daniel John Dalgleish, pilot,
Sgt Earle Douglas Parrish, observer,
Sgt Charles Harry Page, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John William Leadill, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88S-1 off Winterton-on-Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
S4+DL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1442
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on an operation to England and flying along the coast of Norfolk, the airplane crashed into the sea off Winterton-on-Sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Wilhelm Gospodarek, pilot,
Lt Heinrich Deters, observer,
Uffz Heinz Holzapfel, radio operator,
Volkmar Eschke, mechanic.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Mull of Kintyre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z6350
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training exercise to Tiree. En route, the airplane ran out of fuel and the pilot attempted to divert to Machrihanish. Flying in clouds, the airplane impacted a hill in the Mull of Kintyre and was destroyed upon impact. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur John Gearing, pilot,
Sgt John Edward Orton, pilot,
Cpl Robert Sidney Cohen, observer,
AC2 Peter Gibson Woodward, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland II off RAF Mount Batten: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W3998
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mount Batten - Mount Batten
Region:
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The floatplane departed RAF Mount Batten on a maritime patrol flight with a crew of 15 on board. Shortly after liftoff, while climbing, it went out of control and crashed into the sea some 200 yards offshore. Eleven crew members were killed and four others were rescued.
Crew:
F/Lt David James Fletcher, pilot, †
AC1 Kenneth William Bennett, †
AC1 Robert Cunningham, †
LAC James Wallace Douglas, †
LAC John Burnett Hides, †
Cpl John Humphrey Martin, †
F/Sgt Herbert Frederick Mitchell, air gunner, †
AC2 James Robinson, †
Sgt Herbert Leslie Southall, †
LAC John Hay Wallace, †
AC2 William Watson, †
Sgt G. F. H. Booth,
P/O W. W. Ince,
Sgt H. S. Lodge,
Sgt A. Penny.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V on Mt Simon's Seat

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 2130 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z9277
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Croft - Croft
MSN:
2341
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Croft at 1553LT on an operation to Brest. While returning to base in the evening, the crew were unable to obtain any response to their w/t calls asking for a bearing. Subsequently, the pilot broke through the cloud in order to establish his position and in doing so he crashed at 2130LT into high ground at Simon's Seat. All six crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt D. R. Cox,
P/O J. F. Beadle,
P/O R. Franklin,
Sgt R. H. Gale,
Sgt R. Kendall,
Sgt White.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Harwood

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 1630 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z9308
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croft - Croft
MSN:
2372
YOM:
1941
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Croft at 1607LT on an operation to Brest. Less than half an hour later, it suffered a loss of power on the right engine and crash landed near Harwood, northwest of Barnard-Castle. All five crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt J. A. Attwell,
Sgt Martin,
Sgt Howitson,
Sgt Turpin,
Sgt Johnston.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on the right engine in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Scampton

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AE354
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew were completing a local training exercise at RAF Scampton. The airplane overshot the runway and crashed at noon. Weather conditions are described as poor at the time of the accident. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
Sgt J. Bow +3.