Matruh | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft was completing a maritime patrol flight off the Egyptian coast when it was attacked and shot down by the pilot of an Italian SM.79 Sparviero and crashed into the sea off Mersa Matruh. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Derryk Austin Lea, pilot,
Sgt Christopher Frederick Burt, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by an Italian fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Sidi Barrani: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1940 at 0540 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8519

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Fuka - Fuka

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Following a night bombing mission over El Adem, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Sidi Barrani. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Maurice C. Thurlow, pilot,
Sgt Bernard Alfred Feldman, observer,
AC1 Henry Robinson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Fuka

Date & Time: May 9, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8472

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

While on a training flight, the twin engine airplane crashed on hilly terrain near Fuka. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/O C. Thomas, pilot,
Sgt S. Davies, observer,
AC1 C. Richardson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in El Alamein

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1537

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

El Alamein - El Alamein

MSN:

8820

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was completing a night training mission at El Alamein Airport. For unknown reasons, the airplane landed hard and lost its undercarriage. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.
Crew:
P/O E. Garrad-Cole.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in El Alamein

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1486

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

El Alamein - El Alamein

MSN:

8769

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed El Alamein Airport on a local night training exercice. On final approach, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane impacted the ground and crashed short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were seriously injured.
Crew:
P/O C. P. R. Collier,
LAC C. E. Thomas.

Probable cause:

Too low approach on part of the pilot.

Crash of a Vickers Valentia in Mersa Matruh: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1936

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Valentia

Operator:

Registration:

K3166

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Heliopolis – Mersa Matruh

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

210

Captain / Total hours on type:

17.00

Circumstances:

The float plane was completing a night exercice from Heliopolis to Mersa Matruh with 13 crew members on board. On approach, at a height of about 800 feet, the airplane lost altitude, collided with a fence and came to rest, bursting into flames. Seven occupants were killed and six others were injured.
Those killed were:
Sgt Ronald George Allan, pilot, †
LAC Edward Adams, †
AC1 Albert George Hassall, †
AC1 John White, †
Cpt Edward Francis MacKay Barford, †
Cpt Herbert Frank Gordon D’arcy Symonds, †
Lt Douglas Elliott Macintosh, †
F/O N. de W. Boult,
LAC T. Sellars,
Cpt D. S. Cochrane,
Cpt J. P. Weir,
Cpt T. Brodie,
LT L. G. Charles.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60X Moth in El Salloum

Date & Time: May 17, 1928

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Henry C. MacDonald

Registration:

G-EBVX

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Baghdad - Stag Lane

MSN:

538

YOM:

1928

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot Henry C. MacDonald (owner of the aircraft) completed last month a flight from Stag Lane to Baghdad. He was on his return trip to London when cruising along the egyptian coast, he encountered engine problems and decided to make an emergency landing on a beach near El Salloum. While the pilot was unhurt, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.