Cheshire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route, control was lost following an engine failure. The aircraft went into a spin and during the descent, one of the wing failed. The aircraft crashed in a field and was destroyed, killing all five crewmen.
Crew:
Sgt Lambert G. Williams, pilot,
Sgt William P. Morrison, wireless operator,
AC2 Patrick Clarke,
ATC Albert E. Dawson,
AC2 Edward E. Suckling.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I in RAF Hooton Park: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

L6290

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hooton Park - Hooton Park

MSN:

7868/37

YOM:

1941

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On final approach to RAF Hooton Park, while performing a training mission, the captain decided to make a go around. While climbing, the aircraft stalled, dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All four crew members were critically injured. Few hours later, two of them died from their injuries.
Crew (11th RS):
F/Sgt Russell Charles Denny, †
Sgt J. T. R. Bazire, †
Sgt Austin,
Sgt F. J. Spillane.

Probable cause:

An engine failed during the go around procedure.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I in RAF Hooton Park

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

L6266

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hooton Park - Hooton Park

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The crew left RAF Hooton Park in the day for a cross country training sortie. En route, an engine failed, forcing the crew to return to his base. The approach was tricky and the aircraft landed long. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overshot the runway, lost its undercarriage and slid for several yards before coming to rest. While all four crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III at RAF Burtonwood: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

AL269

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Burtonwood - Burtonwood

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While engaged on Exercise Spartan, the twin engine airplane crashed for unknown reasons at RAF Burtonwood. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Cecil Carl Albert Fuchs, pilot,
F/O Harold Patterson Hall, pilot.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Sutton

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

DF408

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Calveley - Calveley

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The pilot was performing a solo navigation training exercise out from RAF Calveley. In unknown circumstances, the twin engine airplane crashed near Sutton and was destroyed. The pilot from the 1531st Battalion was injured.
Crew:
F/O G. C. Smith , pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Chester: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

R3813

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

West Raynham - West Raynham

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The airplane departed RAF West Raynham for 'Exercice Dryshod' which involved a flight to RAF Wigtown. It crashed at Lacha Lane, Chester, following an engine fire. It is believed that the crew were trying to make an emergency landing at RAF Hawarden. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Archibald Jack Hicks, pilot,
Sgt Philip James Stewart, observer,
F/Sgt Arthur Haydn Frederick Chote, wireless operator,
A1c George Craddock, air gunner,
Lac James Lewis Joseph Barnes, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 in Malpas: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 8, 1941 at 0130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

6N+FL

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Vannes - Vannes

MSN:

2432

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The bomber departed Vannes Airfield on an operation to England. At night, it was shot down by the pilot of a British fighter and crashed in Malpas. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
Uffz Karl Schmidt, pilot,
Gefr Ottmar Schimmeyer, flight engineer,
Gefr Oskar Rittershaus, †
Fw Ernst Hirschall. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-6 in Lostock Gralam: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1941 at 2345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

B3+EC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

MSN:

3381

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The bomber was shot down by the crew of a Defiant and crashed in Lostock Gralam. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
Lt Johann Glanzinger, pilot, †
Uffz H. Stettweir, observer,
Uffz Gerhard Harmgart, radio operator, †
Fw H. Richter, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 in Widned: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

G1+OP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Avord - Avord

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Avord on an operation to England. It was shot down by the pilot of a British fighter and crashed on the Fisher and More High School. Two crew members were killed and three others became PoW. There were no casualties on the ground.
Crew:
Obfw Karl Single, pilot,
Hptm Wolfgang Berlin, observer,
Uffz Xavier Diem, radio operator,
Fw Leonhard Kutznik, mechanic, †
Fw Heinrich Ludwinski, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.