Country
United Kingdom
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East Yorkshire

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Pocklington: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1943 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB848
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Pocklington AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2158LT on an operation to Berlin. Two minutes later, while in initial climb, it stalled and crashed near the airbase, bursting into flames. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt William Phelps Comrie, pilot,
Sgt William J. McGrath, flight engineer,
F/O Douglas William Francis Harper, navigator,
P/O William Hugh Jenkins, bomb aimer,
Sgt Frank William Dorrington, wireless operator,
Sgt John King, air gunner,
Sgt Myles Christian Cambell Squiers, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of control after takeoff caused by wake turbulence from a preceding airplane.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Garrowby

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1943 at 1740 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z6490
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2002
YOM:
1941
Location:
Garrowby
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight when he encountered severe icing conditions. The airplane got iced and became uncontrollable. In such conditions, all crew members abandoned the airplane that crashed near Garrowby and was destroyed. All occupants parachuted to safety.
Crew:
F/Sgt R. L. Evans, pilot +4.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Atwick: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1943 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED446
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Atwick
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While performing a test flight, the airplane went out of control and crashed on a beach located in Atwick. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ivan Henry Hazard, pilot,
F/O Raymond Henry Thompson,
Sgt James Fortune Bain,
P/O William Ernest Williams,
F/O William Corfield Morris,
Sgt Lawrence Edward Webb,
Sgt Harry Alfred Rideout,
Sgt Terence Jenkins, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Pocklington

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 1828 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT779
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Pocklington AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1828LT on a mine laying operation. During the takeoff roll, it swung violently off the runway and was damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
W/O J. L. Lee, pilot,
Sgt B. C. White,
Sgt G. A. Jones,
Sgt J. N. Underwood,
Sgt F. M. Traynor,
Sgt R. A. M. Mather,
Sgt J. K. Campbell, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Middleton-on-the-Wolds: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 1210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE161
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Middleton-on-the-Wolds
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Driffield on a local test flight. En route, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed 3 km east of Middleton-on-the-Wolds , exploding on impact. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Neville Smart, pilot,
F/O Thomas Donald Gordon, navigator,
F/O Robert Lowell Benson, bomb aimer,
Sgt George Alexander Aitken Ranken, wireless operator,
Sgt Dennis Herbert, air gunner,
Lac Walter Robinson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to the canvas bomb screen detaching and fouling the elevator control surfaces.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X near RAF Pocklington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1943 at 0010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE153
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leconfield - Leconfield
Location:
Pocklington AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leconfield at 1825LT on February 14 on an operation to Cologne. Shortly after midnight, while returning to base, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines. While cruising in the vicinity of RAF Pocklington, the engines stopped, the airplane lots height then collided with trees and crashed. The air gunner was killed and four other occupants were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt William Richard Martin, pilot,
P/O Harold James Stephen Harmer, navigator,
Sgt John Forbes Loudon, bomb aimer,
Sgt Basil Dunstan Hall,
Sgt Joseph Jeffrie Robson, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure apparently due to a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Flamborough Head: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
R4816
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Flamborough
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 1700LT on January 17 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel and was abandoned at an altitude of 5,000 feet off Flamborough Head. A crew was killed and six others were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt W. M. Wendon, pilot,
Sgt C. Askam,
Sgt A. Kennedy,
Sgt D. A. Corfe, †
Sgt R. A. Williams,
Sgt R. G. Wynn,
Sgt A. C. Johnston, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Pocklington

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1943 at 2323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT506
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Pocklington AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 1657LT on an operation to Lorient. While returning to base in the late evening, it diverted to RAF Pocklington where it crashed upon landing due to failure of the flap mechanism. All seven crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew:
Sgt B. T. Brett, pilot,
Sgt C. G. Waring,
Sgt R. K. Guy,
Sgt K. A. Daragon,
P/O L. G. McCoy,
Sgt C. Vandy,
Sgt B. R. Fyfield, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of the flap mechanism.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 in Out Newton

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1943 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.217
Operator:
Registration:
U5+KT
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Deelen - Deelen
MSN:
4314
YOM:
1941
Location:
Out Newton
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Deelen AFB on an operation to Hull. Approaching the British coast, it was shot down by the British Flak and crashed in Out Newton. All four crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Uffz Anton Ries, pilot,
Obgfr Horst Küster, observer,
Uffz Arno Salz, radio operator,
Uffz Alfred Muschiol, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the British Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X near RAF Driffield

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1942 at 1935 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE149
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Driffield AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training exercise at RAF Driffield. On approach, the propeller on one engine started to flutter and the pilot feathered it. The airplane lost height and crashed on a farm building located near the airbase, bursting into flames. All five crew members escaped, one was injured. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. R. Norton,
Sgt C. F. Tozer,
Sgt C. T. King,
Sgt G. K. Young,
Sgt R. Treacher.
Probable cause:
Malfunction or failure of the constant speed unit (CSU).
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