Date & Time:
Oct 22, 1942 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
EW984
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bilbeis – Lydda
MSN:
2139
YOM:
1941
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
10
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Bilbeis, the captain decided to make a low pass over the Officer's Mess. While flying at a height of eight feet, the aircraft hit the tent with its left wing tip that broke away. The aircraft overturned and crashed in a huge explosion. All 13 occupants were killed while there were no casualties on the ground.
Crew:
W/Cdr John Patrick Stracey Smyth, pilot,
P/O John Cecil Oliver Trench, pilot,
P/O David Maxwell Walker, pilot,
P/O Corliss St Leger Hawkes, pilot,
F/Lt Ernest Francis Victor Copsey, pilot,
W/O Vern Selby Irwin, observer,
W/O Walter Henry Plant, observer,
F/Sgt Brian Joseph O'Connor, observer,
Sgt George Rollinson MacBryde, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur William Mills, wireless operator,
Cpl Reginald Benson,
Cpl Gerald Alexander Grant,
F/O Roy Anderson Harper.
Crew:
W/Cdr John Patrick Stracey Smyth, pilot,
P/O John Cecil Oliver Trench, pilot,
P/O David Maxwell Walker, pilot,
P/O Corliss St Leger Hawkes, pilot,
F/Lt Ernest Francis Victor Copsey, pilot,
W/O Vern Selby Irwin, observer,
W/O Walter Henry Plant, observer,
F/Sgt Brian Joseph O'Connor, observer,
Sgt George Rollinson MacBryde, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur William Mills, wireless operator,
Cpl Reginald Benson,
Cpl Gerald Alexander Grant,
F/O Roy Anderson Harper.
Probable cause:
Poor judgement on part of the pilot while performing a very low pass over the Officer's mess.
