Sussex | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was performing a training mission on behalf of the 242nd OCU based at RAF Thorney Island. In flight, an engine caught fire and the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in the Chichester harbor. Two crew members were killed and three others were rescued.

Probable cause:

Loss of control following an engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Hunters Burgh: 23 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1945 at 1005 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

KG630

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Thorney Island – Amiens

MSN:

13390

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft left RAF Thorney Island at 0935LT bound for Amiens with six other similar aircraft, carrying 23 people, among them 17 members of the RAF, three of the RCAF, two of the RAAF and one of the RNZAF. Enroute, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a cloud layer up to 200 feet above the ground. While cruising at a height of some 150 feet, the aircraft hit the top of a hill with its right wing, went out of control and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in Hunters Burgh, near Folkington. All 23 occupants were killed.
Crew:
W/O Peter Matthew Oleinikoff, pilot,
F/Sgt Edgar Alan Barsby, copilot,
F/O Kenneth Gilbert Forseth, navigator,
F/Sgt Ronald Arthur Brock, wireless operator,
Passengers:
F/O Edward William Curtis,
P/O Colin Alexander Rattray,
Cpl Colin Gibson,
Cpl Gerald Ernest Nelson David Lee,
Cpl William George Blair,
Cpl Edwin Bruce Chadd,
Cpl David Cooper,
LAC Frank Bainbridge,
LAC Ronald Grayham Baldry,
LAC Samuel Arthur Bamber,
LAC William Daniel Davies,
LAC Thomas Henry Floody,
LAC Jack Neale,
LAC Woolf Nerden,
LAC Robert Smith,
LAC Sydney MacKenzie Smith,
LAC George Stevens,
LAC Albert Edward Dowler Wilkes,
LAC George Wilson.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-15-CF Liberator in Chichester: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-29481

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft left RAF Lavenham on a bombing mission over Troyes, France. In the target area, the bomber aircraft was hit by Flak but the pilot was able to leave the combat zone and to fly back to UK. However, en route, he realize he would be unable to reach his departure point so the crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a wasteland in Chichester. All eight crew members were rescued while three people on the ground, among them a 13 years old girl, were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 in Saltdean: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Registration:

F8+IN

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

5437

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While on an operation to England, the airplane was shot down by the British Flak and crashed in Saltdean. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Obfw Otto Schnieder, pilot,
Fw Herbert Teichgräber, mechanic,
Ogfr Emil Jakubassa, observer,
Uffz Franz Küsters, radio operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the British Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Heyshott

Date & Time: May 26, 1942 at 0920 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V6314

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crash landed for unknown reasons in Heyshott and was damaged beyond repair. Pilot F/Lt R. H. Ryan escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Rye: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1941 at 1845 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V6175

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1715LT on an operation to Marquise. It was hit by the German Flak and later crash landed in East Guldeford, one mile northeast of Rye. A crew member was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt H. Vickers, pilot,
Sgt G. A. Lowe, observer,
Sgt Vernon Arkwright Stevens, wireless operator. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 in Poynings: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1941 at 2355 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

B3+NL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Évreux - Évreux

MSN:

6325

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Évreux on an operation to Manchester. While cruising at night at an altitude of 13,000 feet, it was shot down by a British fighter and caught fire. Two crew members were able to bail out while two others remained on board and were killed when the airplane crashed.
Crew:
Fw Fritz August Stein, pilot,
Fw Hans Riedel, observer,
Fw Karl Ilsemann, radio operator, †
Gefr Albert Rosenhahn, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Brightling: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 28, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1392

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Syerston - Syerston

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 2257LT on May 27 on an operation to Boulogne. Hit by the German Flak in the port engine, it crashed in Darwell Hole, near Brightling. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/O Bronisław Kuszczynski, †
Cpt Jan Stanisław Waroczewski, †
Cpt Cezary Wieczorek, †
Sgt S. Jozefiak,
Sgt J. Drozdz, †
Sgt Nilski.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P-2 in Withyham: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1941 at 0320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

G1+BT

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Vélizy-Villacoublay - Vélizy-Villacoublay

MSN:

1619

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Vélizy-Villacoublay AFB at 0145LT on an operation to London. After the bomb load was released on the target, the crew returned to base. While cruising at an altitude of 16,000 feet, the airplane was shot down by a British fighter, dove into the ground and crashed in Withyham. The pilot and the observer bailed out while both other crew remained in the aircraft and were killed. The observer survived but the pilot died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Stfw Adolf Schied, pilot, †
Lt Martin Reisner, observer,
Obfw Leodgar Schuderer, radio operator, †
Obfw Lorenz Huber, mechanic. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Rye

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1940 at 0100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

T2461

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Newmarket - Newmarket

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Newmarket in the evening of December 16 on an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base the following night, it crash landed for unknown reasons in Rye, Essex. All six crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt C. F. Muller +5.