Exeter | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was taking part to the D-Day in Normandy and was flying back to his base in Exeter after dropping 17 paratroopers. While just flying over The Channel, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea some 10 miles north of Cherbourg. All four crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling in Exeter

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

BF441

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Exeter on a transit flight, having collected a Squadron crew. During takeoff, it swung violently and veered off runway. While taking action to avoid a collision with a parked Typhoon, the starboard oleo collapsed and the airplane slid to a stop and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.
Crew:
F/O W. H. Hoult, pilot +4.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Exeter: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1943 at 2310 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

DF626

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George

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The airplane departed RAF Middleton Saint George at 1632LT on an operation to Lorient. While returning to base in the late evening, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to jettison the bomb load. Shortly later, the airplane crashed in Exeter. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Delmer Ray Sanderson, pilot, †
F/Sgt Charles Murray Downton, †
F/Sgt Harold Hogarth Sealy, †
F/Sgt John Drake Bittner, †
Sgt P. G. E. Beauchamp,
Sgt H. R. Ernst, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Combe Down

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8438

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Exeter - Exeter

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Circumstances:

During a training exercise, while cruising in bad weather conditions, one of the engine failed. The crew made an emergency landing in a field in Combe Down. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and both crew members escaped unhurt.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

AL715

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Exeter - Exeter

Location:

Country:

Region:

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The airplane departed Exeter at 1250LT to attack Lannion Aerodrome. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashes somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O Thurstan Barns Skinner, pilot,
P/O Lloyd Douglas Bowman, navigator,
Sqt Arthur Prince,
Sgt Alan Arthur Margrett.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 in Exeter: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 4, 1942 at 0239 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

4D+FU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

City

MSN:

5169

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by a British fighter and crashed in Exeter, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Uffz Bernhard Leyser,
Uffz Wilhelm Pfeiff,
Gefr Ernst Keil,
Gefr A. Koepl.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Branscombe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1942 at 1125 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P1226

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Exeter - Exeter

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Following repairs, the airplane departed Exeter Airfield on a local test flight prior to be delivered to RAF Scampton. While flying in foggy conditions, the airplane impact the slope of hilly terrain and crashed near Branscompe. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Derek Alfred Cook, pilot,
P/O Robert Emmett Manders, observer.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

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

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942 at 0700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Registration:

U5+IR

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Amsterdam - Amsterdam

MSN:

5334

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport on an operation to England. In the area of Exeter, it was shot down by the British Flak and crashed in Southwood Farm. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Rolf Güldenpfennig, pilot,
Uffz Gustav Sommer, observer,
Fw Hermann Drame, radio operator,
Gefr Rudolf Baron, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the British Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Exeter: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1282

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hemswell - Hemswell

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1719LT on an operation to Brest. It was attacked by a night-fighter while returning to base, and very badly damaged Shrapnel from one of the shells set fire to a flare which exploded inside the aircraft, blowing the astrodome from its mountings and destroying some of the fuselage fabric. The pilot tried to make an emergency landing at Exeter, but was baulked by another aircraft. Unable to maintain control, the Wellington crashed between Pinhoe and Clyst Honiton on the west side of the aerodrome. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Czesław Bialy, †
Cpl Stefan Niczewski, †
Sgt Zygmunt Sadurski, †
P/O Wojciech Veit, †
F/O H. Kracinski,
F/O J. Chomka.

Probable cause:

Crashed on approach after being attacked by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Exeter: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1941 at 1645 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

W5432

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Driffield on a test flight. En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to divert to Exeter Airport where the bomber crashed on approach. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Mellor Rhodes, pilot,
P/O John Ross Robertson, pilot,
Sgt Matthew Ward Wright, observer,
Sgt Bernard Kenneth George Willmer, wireless operator,
Sgt Gordon Bannerman Dundas, wireless operator,
Sgt Victor Ernest Thomas Riddiford, air gunner.