Date & Time:
Jun 25, 1942 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Registration:
R9482
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Middleton St George. It took off at 1530LT and crashed almost immediately, due to one, or both engines, failing on the port side. The Halifax climbed slowly to approximately 100 feet, stalled and dived into the ground and burst into flames. Five crew members were killed and the sixth occupant was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur Aston, pilot, †
Sgt Herbert Ralph Smith, flight engineer, †
P/O William Joseph Cole, observer, †
Sgt Cecil Douglas Barnett, wireless operator, †
Sgt Lawrence Desmond Richardson, air gunner, †
P/O Herbert Reginald Higgins, air gunner.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur Aston, pilot, †
Sgt Herbert Ralph Smith, flight engineer, †
P/O William Joseph Cole, observer, †
Sgt Cecil Douglas Barnett, wireless operator, †
Sgt Lawrence Desmond Richardson, air gunner, †
P/O Herbert Reginald Higgins, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of one or two engines.