Derbyshire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Snaith in the evening of July 30 on an operation to Cologne. En route, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions and decided to return to base. While flying at low height, the bomber impacted the slope of a hill near Edale. Five crew members were killed and a sixth occupant was seriously injured.
Crew (150th Squadron):
Sgt Percival Harold Charles Parrot, pilot, †
Sgt Joseph Arthur Haswell, pilot, †
Sgt Jack Douglas Evelle, observer, †
Sgt Frederick Kenneth Webber, wireless operator , †
Sgt Dennis Aloysius Monk, air gunner, †
Sgt Earl Tilley, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Conksbury

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

L7811

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The airplane departed RAF Midlenhall at 1811LT on February 11 to attack the Mercedes-Benz factory in Bremen. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel and was abandoned over Derbyshire. All six crew members were found alive, among them one was injured. The airplane crashed in Conksbury and was destroyed.
Crew (149th Squadron):
Sgt H. G. Turner, pilot,
Sgt B. F. Campbell,
Sgt J. B. McKnight,
Sgt H. G. Pates,
Sgt D. Piper,
Sgt G. Rae.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Castleton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1940 at 2015 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

X3154

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Finningley - Finningley

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The airplane departed RAF Finningley on a night training exercise. While flying too low in limited visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of hilly terrain in Lords Seat, two miles west of Castleton. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Michael Hubbard, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Walsingham Boyd Perkins, pilot,
Sgt Derrick Joseph Davey, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt David William Smith, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was 50 miles west of its intended track and was flying too low. A contributory factor may also have been due to poor definition between the low cloud and the snow-covered ground.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF in Woolley Bridge

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

K7172

Flight Phase:

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MSN:

8125

YOM:

1938

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The crew encountered poor weather conditions and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a field and came to rest upside down. Both crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
P/O Donald Anderson, pilot +1.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Buxton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1940 at 2225 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

L4189

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While on a night training exercice, the twin engine bomber impacted the slope of Black Edge located near Buxton. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was seriously injured.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Owen Cook, pilot, †
Sgt John Gray Gow, pilot, †
Sgt Eric Burt, wireless operator, †
Sgt N. Powell.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth in Lords Seat

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1940

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth

Operator:

Registration:

AV986

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lords Seat - Manchester

MSN:

7060

YOM:

1934

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While taking off from the Lords Seat Airstrip, the single engine airplane was blown into a wall by a sudden gust of wind, lost its undercarriage and crashed. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.

Probable cause:

Loss of control during takeoff due to blowing wind.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Chellaston

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1112

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Cranfield - Cranfield

MSN:

8395

YOM:

1938

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En route, the airplane suffered an engine failure, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. After landing in a field, the aircraft struck a ditch and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Glossop: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1476

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Church Fenton - Church Fenton

MSN:

8759

YOM:

1939

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The crew departed RAF Church Fenton on an exercice. En route, the aircraft crashed in hilly terrain located near Glossop. As the airplane failed to return to base, SAR operations were initiated. The wreckage was found by a walker on February 12. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Stanley John Daly Robinson, pilot,
P/O Jack Elliott Thomas, observer.

Crash of an Avro 504N in Mastin Moor

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Avro 504

Operator:

Air Publicity

Registration:

G-ADDA

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MSN:

K1810

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For unknown reasons, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed, hit a fence and came to rest. The pilot was unhurt and the passenger was injured.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford III near Chapel-en-le-Frith: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.50 Heyford

Operator:

Registration:

K6875

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Leconfield - Leconfield

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The crew departed RAF Leconfield on a night training exercice. While cruising over the Peak District National Park, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane impacted the slope of the Bloadlee Bank Tor near Chapel-en-le-Frith. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Newton William Baker,
Sgt James William Barker,
Sgt Charles Patrick Dugald McMillan,
AC1 Eric James McDonald,
AC1 William Henry Gray,
AC2 Ernest John Musker.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.