Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off New Plymouth

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ401
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New Plymouth - New Plymouth
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from New Plymouth Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea. While all four occupants were rescued, the aircraft was lost.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Llanthony

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1942 at 2050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9745
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Staverton - Staverton
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
306
Captain / Total hours on type:
172.00
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor visibility due to low clouds and darkness, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed in the Black Hills, near Llanthony, in the southeast part of Wales. All three occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew (6th AOS):
Sgt R. R. Harvey, pilot, 2.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by negligence on part of the crew who failed to prepare an adequate flight plan. There was no communication with the crew during flight and a navigational error caused the aircraft to be 15 miles past the turning point. Poor visibility due to cloud and darkness was not considered as the cause of the accident.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Ravenglass: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4869
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
During a night training exercise, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Muncaster Fell located some 3 km northeast of Ravenglass, Cumbria. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (2nd AFU):
F/Sgt T. W. Jupp, pilot,
LAC E. G. Goodall, navigator,
Cpl S. Elliot, navigator,
Sgt C. H. Kemp, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC D. C. Lord, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Cornwall: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1942 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6554
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training exercise when the twin engine aircraft crashed into the Saint-Laurent River, some 10 miles east of Cornwall. The wreckage was spotted a mile off Lancaster. A crew member was rescued while all three other occupants were killed.
Crew (9th AOS):
Sgt K. G. De Havilland, pilot, †
LAC S. D. R. Cook, navigator,
LAC W. H. F. Smale, navigator, †
Sgt T. P. Fraser, wireless operator. †

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Tracadie

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K6265
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charlottetown - Charlottetown
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a training exercise from Charlottetown. En route, the pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft for unknown reason in the Tracadie Bay, Nova Scotia. While all five crew members were rescued, the aircraft was lost.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Thormanby Island

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4901
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Patricia Bay - Patricia Bay
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
751
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training exercise out from Patricia Bay airbase. En route, while cruising off Thormanby Island, the left engine failed. The captain decided to ditch the aircraft and all five crew members were quickly rescued while the aircraft was lost and later recovered.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Llangollen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1942 at 0007 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4966
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Cranage - Cranage
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
250
Captain / Total hours on type:
181.00
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a night training exercise and left RAF Cranage in the evening. Following a navigation error, the aircraft was to far to the west and by night, went through an area of drizzle and low mist. The captain decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the twin engine aircraft hit a mountain slope located northeast of Llangollen, near Garth. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Dennis Armstrong Wapshott, pilot,
Sgt Harry Doidge Searle,
W/O Charles Edward Wordsworth,
LAC John Francis Eckersley.
Probable cause:
Navigation error on part of the crew and inexperience of the captain (only 9 flying hours by night on type).

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Cirencester: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DJ184
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Defford – Boscombe Down
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from RAF Defford to RAF Boscombe Down to take delivery of a second Avro 652 Anson. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field near Cirencester. All six occupants, among them two brothers, were killed.
Crew:
F/L Frank Brown,
F/O Eric Tom Sellick,
F/O George Flight Sellick,
F/O Alfred James Marsh,
LAC Henry Davis McCallum,
AC2 Roland Frederick Umney.
Probable cause:
The loss of control was caused by a failure of the fabric covering the right wing that separated from the structure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Portage la Prairie: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1942 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6077
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Portage la Prairie - Portage la Prairie
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training exercise at Portage la Prairie Airport. On final approach, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field short of runway. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (7th AOS):
J. L. Kosloff, pilot,
Sgt C. E. Raison, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC R. Jones, navigator,
LAC C. K. E. Bowery 1.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Reedy Creek: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1942 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW678
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mount Gambier - Mount Gambier
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a training exercise from Mount Gambier Airport. En route, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in Reedy Creek, some 19 km southeast of Kingston. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (2nd AOS):
Sgt William Nathaniel Higham Flemming,
Sgt John Edward Moorhouse,
LAC Charles Thomas Fletcher,
LAC William Ross Bremner Fenton,
Sgt Malcolm Albert Thiele.