Country
code

Pembrokeshire

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland MR.5 off Milford Haven: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NJ267
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Just after takeoff, while climbing, the seaplane nose down, hit the water surface and crashed upside down, broken in two. Quickly on the scene, rescuers were able to evacuate four people while seven others, including four members of the crew, were killed.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland GR.5 off Pembroke Dock

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NJ180
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pembroke Dock - Pembroke Dock
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Hit a buoy while landing off Pembroke Dock. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Collision with a buoy upon landing.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland MR.5 into Angle Bay

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RN290
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie when an engine caught fire in flight. The pilot-in-command attempted an emergency landing in Angle Bay but the airplane touchdown hard, causing a float to be sheared off. The aircraft came to a halt in flames. While all six crew members were able to evacuate the cabin and were uninjured, the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-40-DL near Haverfordwest: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-24018
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
9880
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances some 13 miles northeast of Haverfordwest, Wales. The crew Richard Jack Burr was killed in the accident.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A-CO Liberator in RAF Talbenny: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
AM913
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Casablanca - Talbenny
MSN:
4
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Talbenny, the pilot lost control of the aircraft as a result of an engine's explosion. The aircraft came down in a field few miles short of runway threshold. Eight occupants were seriously injured while eleven others were killed.
Probable cause:
An engine exploded on approach and fell off, causing the aircraft to be uncontrollable.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in RAF Talbenny

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DV779
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Talbenny - Talbenny
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after lift off when the flap lever was accidentally touched whilst the undercarriage was being retracted. The aircraft stalled and crashed. All seven crew members, among them Sgt Jan Hadravek, were unhurt.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Talbenny

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7475
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Talbenny - Talbenny
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after lift off, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed near the runway end. All seven crew members were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
One of the engine caught fire just after take off.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY Catalina I at RAF Pembroke Dock: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1941 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W8418
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pembroke Dock - Pembroke Dock
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Following a maritime patrol flight, the floatplane was returning to base at RAF Pembroke Dock when it crashed upon landing at night for unknown reasons. Six crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
P/O Anthony George William Debonnaire, †
F/Sgt James Soutar Gray, †
F/O Vladimir Victor Havlicek, †
F/Sgt George Edwin Jones, †
F/Sgt Frederick Rees Lewis, †
Sgt Stanley Lockett, †
P/O K. A. W. Paterson,
Sgt W. H. Westby,
Sgt K. B. Murphy,
Sgt G. Missett.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-4 Catalina I off Milford Haven: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1941 at 0448 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AH530
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pembroke
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The floatplane departed RAF Pembroke Dock in the early morning on a maritime patrol flight over the Bay of Biscay. While taking off from the Milford Haven, it collided with a partially submerged obstacle and crashed between Milford Haven and Popton Fort. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Edward Arthur Jewiss, pilot,
F/Sgt John Percival Taylor, observer,
Sgt Arthur Berry, flight engineer,
Sgt Francis Foster De Smidt,
Sgt Harry Greenwood,
Sgt Stanley Napier,
F/Sgt Hubert Harding Penrose,
Sgt Wisden Warwick Stenning,
P/O Frank Richard Wellings.
Probable cause:
Collision with a submerged obstacle while taking off at night.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Milford Haven

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1941 at 0530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z6941
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
MSN:
2233
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1835LT on October 1st on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following morning, the bomber ditched in the Bristol Channel some 22 miles southwest of Milford Haven, after straying from course and running out of fuel. All five crew members were rescued about four hours later.
Crew:
P/O T. W. G. Godfrey,
Sgt G. W. Ninness,
Sgt J. H. Beare,
Sgt W. W. Watt,
P/O Watts.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.