Country
code

East Lothian (Haddingtonshire)

Crash of a Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1 at RAF East Fortune

Date & Time: May 26, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WV737
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
East Fortune - Leuchars
MSN:
37
YOM:
1956
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Pembroke took off from East Fortune to proceed to RAF Leuchars on 26th of May 1961 after flying from a NATO meeting in Paris with Air Vice Marshall R.B. Thompson and Air Vice Marshall R.H. Wright both men had just been set down at East Fortune. Soon after take off at around 2,000 feet that problem started, with North Berwick in view, only a short distance from the airfield, the port engine caught fire and blew up. The pilot, Flt Lt Munn, look out of the cockpit and found that the engine cowling and parts of the engine were missing and the engine was still burning. The pilot decided to crash land as soon as possible and with that he turned the aircraft hard to port to avoid crossing the coast and getting into even more danger. While doing this he closed both throttles (closing the starboard throttle by mistake) and started a rapid descent. The aircraft crash landed in a corn field close to Newhouse farm (near North Berwick) and only minor injuries were received by the pilot and copilot. Five minutes after leaving the aircraft the port inboard fuel tank exploded and the entire fuselage was gutted.
Source: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=145236
Probable cause:
Prime cause of the accident was Engine failure. This failure was caused by a hydraulic lock which took place only a short time before the failure. This was not found on the ground prior to take off due to a failure by the Pilot to comply with instructions in the relevant Aircraft Procedures. Contributory Hydraulic lock in No. 6 cylinder caused the break up in flight of the port engine.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Turf Law: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1945 at 1543 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NK945
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying in a snowstorm, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Turf Law located in the Lammermuir Hills, Huddingtonshire. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Ronald Cameron Ferguson, pilot,
F/Lt Václav Jícha, pilot,
F/O Arthur Scarlett Davidson, flight engineer.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF East Fortune

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1324
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
East Fortune - East Fortune
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF East Fortune on a local solo training exercise. Shortly after liftoff, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed. The pilot was injured.
Crew:
Sgt R. Tidy, pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure upon takeoff.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Dunbar

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1940 at 0200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
X2896
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1840LT on October 2 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning at night, it crashed in a dummy flare-path at Woodhall Innerwick, some four miles southeast of Dunbar. All four crew members were rescues, one was injured.
Crew:
P/O E. M. Thwaites,
P/O R. S. Hook,
Sgt Day,
Sgt E. S. Smith.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H3 off Dunbar: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1940 at 0140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wittmundhafen - Wittmundhafen
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Wittmundhafen with Edinburgh as his target. While approaching the British coast at night, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire. With an engine on fire, the pilot ditched the aircraft off Dunbar. Three crew members were rescued while the pilot H. Schwilden was killed. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Crew:
Hptm H. Schwilden +3.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an RAF fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off North Berwick

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1939 at 1530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L4089
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waddington – Drem
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The bomber was completing a flight from RAF Waddington to RAF Drem with four crew members on board. While cruising over the Firth of Forth in poor visibility due to bad weather, the airplane was mistakenly shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea off North Berwick. All four occupants were rescued by fishermen.
Crew:
P/O R. J. Sansome,
Sgt E. L. Farrands,
Sgt H. R. Moyle,
AC1 J. Lyttle.
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by an RAF fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off North Berwick: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1939 at 1530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L4090
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waddington – Drem
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The bomber was completing a flight from RAF Waddington to RAF Drem with four crew members on board. While cruising over the Firth of Forth in poor visibility due to bad weather, the airplane was mistakenly shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea off North Berwick. Three crew members were rescued by fishermen while the fourth occupant was killed.
Crew:
P/O P. F. Dingwall,
Sgt J. A. M. Reid,
Sgt W. K. Lodge,
LAC T. Gibbin. †
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by an RAF fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Drem

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6756
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Evanton – Drem
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed upon landing for unknown reasons. Three crewmen were unhurt while a fourth was injured.
Crew:
Sgt E. G. Gilbert,
Cpl F. Malekin,
AC1 W. C. Dodge,
Sgt H. R. Crowley.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 near Humbie: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
1H+JA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Westerland - Westerland
MSN:
449
YOM:
1935
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Westerland-Sylt Airport on a combat mission over Scotland. After passing through the last cloud layer, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a RAF fighter and crashed near Humbie, about 24 km southeast of Edinburgh. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
crew:
Uffz Gottlieb Kowalke, †
Gefr Bruno Reimann, †
Uffz Kurt Lehmkuhl,
Lt Rolf Niehoff.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a RAF fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-1 off Port Seton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
4D+DH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Westerland - Westerland
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The bomber departed Westerland-Sylt Airport on a reconnaissance mission. While cruising over the Firth of Forth, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea off Port Seton. Three crew members were rescued and a fourth was killed.
Crew:
Obgefr Krämer, †
Obltn Storp,
Fw Köhnke,
Fw Hielscher.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an RAF fighter.