Buckinghamshire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Rufforth at 1657LT on December 6 on an operation to Mannheim. It was hit by the German Flak and severely damaged. Subsequently, after nearly nine hours in the air, and low on fuel, the Halifax was abandoned and left to crash at 0155LT in High Wycombe. All seven crew members parachuted to safety.
Crew:
P/O K. H. Reynolds, pilot,
Sgt G. Wheatcroft,
Sgt W. J. Wilson,
Sgt F. Worsnop,
Sgt J. Harbottle,
Sgt E. Smith,
Sgt D. A. Weatherill, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Grendon Underwood

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1942 at 0737 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

AT226

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Schedule:

North Luffenham - North Luffenham

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While returning to base following an operation over Cologne, the airplane ran out of fuel. The crew made an emergency landing on a bombing range at Grendon Underwood. All four crew members escaped uninjured. Convinced they had landed in enemy territory, the crew promptly set fire to the airplane.
Crew:
Sgt Henry Charles Weeks, pilot,
P/O David Huntly Johnson, observer,
Sgt S. Rickard, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Gowland, rear gunner.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Horton: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1942

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Operator:

Registration:

R5927

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

6464

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed RAF Yatesbury on a wireless training operation with a crew of six on board. En route, it collided with the cable of a barrage balloon and crashed at Wiggins Field near Horton. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Albert Horace Sanders, pilot,
Cpl Kenneth B. Hordwood, wireless operator,
AC2 Kenneth Ivan Oliver, wireless operator,
AC2 John Coleman Williams,
LAC James Douglas Wood,
AC2 Percy Wray, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Collision with the cable of a barrage balloon.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Haddenham: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1942 at 0100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P5328

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Swinderby - Swinderby

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The airplane departed RAF Swinderby at 1716LT on January 2 on an operation to La Rochelle. While returning to base the following night, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Haddenham. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Charles Ludwig, pilot,
P/O John Lennox Siesel Willox, navigator,
Sgt Joseph Ross Stansfield, wireless operator,
F/O Alec Macnaughton Christie, air gunner.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Denham

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P1159

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Circumstances:

While on a training flight, the crew encountered bad weather conditions and made an emergency landing in Denham. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and both occupants escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Sherington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1941 at 2120 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

R3617

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cranfield - Cranfield

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The pilot departed RAF Cranfield on a solo training flight. The airplane was shot down by a JU.88 and crashed in Sherington. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Francis Filmer, pilot.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I in Ivinghoe Beacon

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 130 Bombay

Operator:

Registration:

L5817

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Finningley – Northolt

MSN:

SH.10

YOM:

1939

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The crew was completing a transfer flight from RAF Finningley (Doncaster) to RAF Northolt on behalf of the 271th Squadron. An unexpected situation en route forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing in a field in Ivinghoe Beacon. The airplane lost its undercarriage and was damaged beyond repair. The crew was uninjured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth in Beaconsfield

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1941

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth

Operator:

Registration:

DP850

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Broxbourne - White Waltham

MSN:

2185

YOM:

1931

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Circumstances:

The pilot was completing a delivery flight from Broxbourne to RAF White Waltham. The engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Haversham: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1941 at 2220 LT

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

N4572

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cranfield - Cranfield

MSN:

2412

YOM:

1940

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Captain / Total flying hours:

203

Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Cranfield on a night training exercise. In unknown circumstances, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in Haversham, killing both occupants.
Crew:
Sgt Roy Henry Mark Crook, pilot,
LAC Gregory William Lygo.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Iver: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1940 at 0100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

T2613

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

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En route to Malta, the airplane collided with a balloon barrage cable and crashed in Iver. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Alexander John Roberts Pate, pilot,
Sgt Walter Vincent Jaggs, pilot,
Sgt William Ernest Elliott, observer,
Sgt Edward Fisher, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth Raymond Draper, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Collision with a balloon barrage cable.