Royal Air Force - RAF | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was performing a night training exercise. While cruising at an altitude of 1,500 feet in limited visibility, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Slieau Freoaghane located in the center of the Isle of Man. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
Sgt Ralph Ernest Wells, pilot,
Sgt Sidney Alfred Gardner, observer,
Sgt Clarence William Kelner, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Joseph Theodore Gilbert, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Llanthony

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1942 at 2050 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

N9745

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Staverton - Staverton

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Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

306

Captain / Total hours on type:

172.00

Circumstances:

While cruising in poor visibility due to low clouds and darkness, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of a mountain and crashed in the Black Hills, near Llanthony, in the southeast part of Wales. All three occupants were injured while the airplane was destroyed.
Crew (6th AOS):
Sgt R. R. Harvey, pilot,
Lac F. Rose,
Sgt R. R.Harvey.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by negligence on part of the crew who failed to prepare an adequate flight plan. There was no communication with the crew during flight and a navigational error caused the aircraft to be 15 miles past the turning point. Poor visibility due to cloud and darkness was not considered as the cause of the accident.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Pentrez

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

Z6795

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Saint Eval - Saint Eval

MSN:

2155

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF St Eval on an anti-submarine sweep operation in the Atlantic Ocean. Due to fuel exhaustion, the crew was forced to make an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed on a beach in Pentrez. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Neville James Mundell, pilot,
W/O James Frederick Grier,
Sgt Hugh Gerald Philip Hart,
W/O Ian Gilchrist Keiller,
F/Sgt Kenneth George d'Arcy Farrell,
Sgt Eric James Christian, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Ramsgate: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942 at 0405 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

BF334

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bourn - Bourn

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Bourn in the evening of September 19 on an operation to Munich. While returning to base the following morning, it suffered an engine failure and was ditched into the sea off Ramsgate. Three crew members were killed and four others were rescued by a fishing boat.
Crew:
Sgt Frederick Henry King, wireless operator, †
Sgt Albert James Ottaway, †
Sgt Ronald Spencer, †
Sgt J. Philip,
Sgt L. V. Fossleitner,
Sgt G. K. Reardon,
Sgt I. G. Davies.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Locquignol: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942 at 0328 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

R5554

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Waddington in the evening of September 19 on an operation to Munich. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the forest of Mormal near Locquignol. Four crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O William Herbert Day, pilot, †
Sgt Unich Edward Thomas Burford, air gunner, †
Sgt Charles McGough, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Michael Joseph Glynn, air gunner, †
Sgt Charles Fleming Churchill,
Sgt Lionel George Wildey,
Sgt J. Downie.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Blubberhouses: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942 at 0245 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

R9383

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

Schedule:

Melbourne - Melbourne

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1927LT on September 19 on an operation to Saarbrücken. It flew into a tree, standing on high ground, near Thruscross Reservoir and sustained damage to an aileron. Although the pilot retained control, he was unable to counter the tendency for the Halifax to climb in a right hand manner. Abandoned, the airplane crashed at 0245LT near Blubberhouses and was destroyed. Six crew members parachuted to safety and were injured, the observer was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Hugh Currie McDougall, observer, †
Sgt E. J. Willmott,
Sgt D. A. D. Soggee,
Sgt A. Brewer,
F/Sgt W. Preston,
Sgt H. W. Leigh,
Sgt S. Benditski.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Gauting: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942 at 0236 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

W4184

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Waddington in the evening of September 19 on an operation to Munich. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Gauting. Six crew members were killed and an air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Lewis Boyd Haward, pilot, †
Sgt Frank Hamer, flight engineer, †
W/O Joseph Camillus MacDonald, observer, †
P/O Howard Houston Burton, wireless operator, †
W/O Harold Jason Thurston, wireless operator, †
Sgt Ewart Wright, air gunner, †
Sgt Mark Leonard Douglas, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Muncaster Fell: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942 at 0140 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

N4869

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Circumstances:

During a night training exercise, the crew encountered poor visibility due to marginal weather conditions. While cruising in the vicinity of Ravenglass, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Muncaster Fell located 3 km northeast of Ravenglass. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (2nd AFU):
W/O Thomas William Jupp, pilot,
Cpl Sydney Elliott, navigator,
Lac Ernest George Goodall, navigator,
F/Sgt Charles Henry Kemp, wireless operator,
Lac Douglas Charles Lord, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Novion-Porcien: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942 at 0115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

BJ689

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Stradishall in the evening of September 19 on an operation to Saarbrücken. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Novion-Porcien, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Ernest Akos Frederick De Bartok, pilot,
F/Sgt P. F. Brawley,
Sgt Charles Drury,
Sgt R. A. Haskins,
Sgt J. E. Bailey,
Sgt J. L. Dyhouse.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942 at 0107 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W7657

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Graveley - Graveley

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 2001LT on September 19 on an operation to Saarbrücken. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Blesme. Three crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
W/Cdr J. H. Marks, †
F/Sgt W. G. Higgs,
F/Lt A. J. Child, †
F/Lt N. H. Wright,
P/O R. J. L. Sawyers,
P/O R. L. Leith-Hay-Clark. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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