Nord | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Lille-Lesquin Airport and was completing several touch-and-go maneuvers. On final approach, just prior to touchdown, the airplane went out of control and crashed onto the runway. It was damaged beyond repair and both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Jean-Claude Timmermans, student pilot,
Étienne Lemmens, instructor.

Probable cause:

It was determined that one of the propeller went into reverse mode just prior to touchdown for undetermined reasons, causing the aircraft to lose speed and height.

Crash of a Miles M.57 Aerovan V in Herzeele

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Miles M.57 Aerovan

Operator:

Air Ads

Registration:

G-AJWD

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

6412

YOM:

1947

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Circumstances:

For unknown reason, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in a field located in Herzeele, about 20 km south of Dunkerque. The aircraft was written off and the occupant fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 in Vicq: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1955 at 0015 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Varsity

Operator:

Registration:

WF426

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

City

MSN:

569

YOM:

1952

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Parked at RAF Thorney Island, West Sussex, the aircraft was stolen by Manik Agnani, a 22 years old mechanic from the RAF who did not held any pilot licence. Hew flew over the London area for more than three hours and then changed his route and flew to the south, over The Channel and then to France. Shortly past midnight, he lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in flames onto a house located in Vicq, about 9 km northeast of Valenciennes. The pilot was killed and four people in the house as well, two old people and two young girls aged 9 and 10.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Dunkirk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

MG552

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

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The crew was performing a flight from Knokke le Zoute Airfield, near Zeebrugge, to England. While approaching Dunkirk, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing all four crew members. It appears that the crew was flying too close to the city of Dunkirk which was still occupied by the German forces.
Crew (276th Squadron):
W/Cdr Norman John Starr,
W/Cdr James Heathcote Humphris,
S/L Henry Crawford Haley,
F/O Rowland Baker Moore.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas C-53D-DO Skytrooper in Cambrai

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-68822

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Creil – Cambrai

MSN:

11749

YOM:

1943

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Crash landed for unknown reason at Cambrai-Niergnies Airfield. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7 Boston IIIA in Lille

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

BZ399

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Swanton Morlay - Swanton Morlay

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Following an uneventful supply mission over Courtrai, Belgium, the twin engine aircraft was returning to its base in Swanton Morlay, when the crew encountered engine problems and was forced to divert to Lille Airport. The crew completed a belly landing and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair while all four crew members were uninjured.
Crew (88th Squadron):
F/O J. B. Wilson,
P/O W. T. MacDonald,
F/L F. J. G. Patridge,
Sgt. T. Hunt.

Probable cause:

Both engine should be cut by the crew for unknown reason.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Eppe-Sauvage: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0406 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

HR663

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Pocklington - Pocklington

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The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2049LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following night and flying over France at an altitude of 9,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eppe-Sauvage. An air gunner was killed, four crew members evaded and two others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Wallace Ivor Lashbrook, pilot,
F/Sgt Douglas Charles Knight, flight engineer,
F/O Kenneth James Bolton, navigator,
F/O Alfred Martin, bomb aimer,
Sgt Robert William Laws, wireless operator,
Sgt Lawrence Irving Neill, air gunner,
F/O Graham George Williams, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Maubeuge: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943 at 0218 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

W4951

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Holme-on-Spalding-Moor - Holme-on-Spalding-Moor

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The airplane departed RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor in the evening of April 14 on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Maubeuge. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Robert Gordon Hamilton, pilot,
Sgt Frank Wood, flight engineer,
F/O Henry Eifion Clement, navigator,
Sgt Aaron Ottolangui, bomb aimer,
Sgt Joseph Leadbetter Cartmell, wireless operator,
Sgt Peter Donovan Steed, air gunner,
Sgt George William Henry Northover, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III near Maubeuge: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

ED587

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Grimsby - Grimsby

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The airplane departed RAF Grimsby at 1948LT on March 9 on an operation to Munich. The following night, it crashed in unknown circumstances near Maubeuge, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L Derrick Maxwell Barker, pilot,
Sgt Frank George Gibling Edwards, flight engineer,
Sgt Joshua Morgan, navigator,
Sgt Reginald William Walker, navigator,
Sgt Herbert Brock, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Frame Millar, air gunner,
F/Sgt Fred Salvage, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Ors: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 0030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W7851

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Graveley - Graveley

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 1924LT on an operation to Nuremberg. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Ors. Three crew members were killed, three became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
F/O John Hilton Brown, pilot, †
Sgt Alan Tacey, flight engineer,
S/L Gomer Donald Waterer, navigator,
Sgt Albert Geroge Coulam, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt David Aitken Sibbald, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Patrick Flynn, air gunner, †
F/Sgt Stanley Seymour Vinicombe, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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