Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

MSN:

YOM:

1940

Location:

Biggs AAF (El Paso)

Texas

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances at Biggs AAF and was destroyed. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator at Fort Randall AAF

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

41-11911

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Cold Bay (ex Fort Randall AAF & Thornbrough AFB)

MSN:

407

YOM:

1941

Location:

Alaska

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane crashed on landing at Fort Randall AAF and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Upwood: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1931

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Upwood on a local training exercise. Just after liftoff, one of the engine failed. The airplane lost height and descended into trees nearby the airfield, bursting into flames. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Partridge, pilot,
Sgt William Robert Hopcraft, observer,
Sgt Frederick Mac Coy Poole, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure at takeoff.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-40-11 LodeStar in Brisbane

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

VH-CAE

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

MSN:

2110

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

For unknown reasons, the airplane crashed upon landing at Brisbane-Archerfield Airport and was damaged beyond repair. It was engaged in a special mission on behalf of the Royal Australian Air Force. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Elsham Wolds: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1942 at 1521 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BK311

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Schedule:

Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training exercise at RAF Elsham Wolds. On final approach, the pilot encountered strong winds and lost control of the airplane that crashed short of runway, bursting into flames. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured.
Crew:
W/O Edwin Henry Herbert, pilot, †
Sgt Reginald Ziser, navigator, †
Sgt Norman Desmond Green, bomb aimer, †
Sgt William Henry Allworth, wireless operator, †
Sgt Norman Clifford Meyers, wireless operator, †
Sgt T. V. Brown, air gunner.

Probable cause:

The wind was gusting quite strongly, causing the pilot to lose control of the airplane.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Croft: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1942 at 1443 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BK335

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Croft - Croft

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local training exercise at RAF Croft. While taking off, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed, bursting into flames. Four crew members were injured and two others were killed. The next day, the pilot died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt Lewis William Scobie, pilot, †
F/Sgt Richard John Todd Colvin, bomb aimer, †
P/O P. Campbell,
Sgt G. A. Lloyd,
Sgt Hans D'Aperng,
F/Sgt Herbert Ernest Hicks, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Engine failure at takeoff.

Crash of a Polikarpov AP in Ufa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1942 at 0915 LT

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-A1120

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Meteorological / Weather

Survivors:

Site:

Republic of Bashkortostan

Schedule:

Ufa - Ufa

MSN:

14292

YOM:

1939

Location:

Ufa

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1680

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Ufa Airport in the early morning on a weather data operation. After reaching the altitude of 3,500 metres, the pilot returned to the airport but the visibility deteriorated due to fog that developed about 40 minutes after takeoff. The pilot descended to a height of 110 metres to establish a visual contact with the airport. As this was not possible, he decided to climb when, at a height of about 170 metres, the airplane collided with the mast of a radio station. It partially disintegrated in the air and crashed near the airfield. Both occupants, a pilot and a meteorologist were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Lack of discipline on part of the pilot, who violated instructions and failed to comply with oral instructions from the head of Ufa Airport and his deputy, to divert to Birsk Airport or other nearby sites in the event of airport closure. Despite the airfield was covered with fog, the pilot attempted to land.
- The meteorologist on duty at the Ufa AMSG did not provide a precise weather forecast for the near future. The weather report given to the pilot indicated flying conditions, but 40 minutes after takeoff, the airfield was completely covered by rapidly approaching fog. The weather forecast was based on the 19-hour synoptic chart of 09OCT42, and the one-hour synoptic chart of 10OCT42 was not provided due to lack of data.
- Insufficient organization of atmospheric sounding flights at Ufa Airport, expressed by the fact that detailed instructions were not drawn up in the local instructions for conducting flights over the aerodrome.
- The real cause of the accident was the presence of obstacles on the aerodrome's approach runway (206 metres-high radio masts) which did not meet the requirements of the aerodrome's maintenance manual.

Crash of a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper in Dinjan

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: