Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Palaiochora: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N57
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight between Crete and the Saronic Gulf. Weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility became limited with storm activities. The crew got lost and when the airplane ran out of fuel, it crashed into the sea off Palaiochora. Two crew members were killed while a third was rescued.
Crew:
Cpt Nikolaos Toumpakaris, pilot, †
1st Lt Pantelis Linos, observer, †
Sgt Tsigka, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Glenbrook: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A4-5
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Parkes – Sydney
MSN:
971
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Parkes on an ambulance flight to Sydney-Mascot Airport, carrying one patient, one doctor and three crew members. While overflying Glenbrook at low height, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed at the intersection of two streets, downtown Glenbrook. While no one on the ground was injured, all five occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O J. I. Newman, pilot,
F/O Henry Theodore Skillman, copilot,
AC1 C. R. Tysoc, wireless operator.
Passengers:
S/L James Manning Rainbow, medical officer,
P/O Bailey Middlebrook Sawyer, patient.
Probable cause:
According to witnesses, it appears the aircraft went out of control following a partial loss of the left wing, maybe due to a structural failure.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Calgary: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1941 at 0835 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6108
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calgary - Calgary
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Calgary Airport on a local familiarization exercise. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was seen descending in a steep left hand spiral at 200 feet elevation and disappeared from view, crashing to the ground. The pilot was killed and both other occupants were slightly injured.
Crew:
Sgt J. P. Brunell, pilot, †
LAC R. C. Ellcott,
LAC E. T. S. Crossley.
Probable cause:
Atmospheric conditions frosted the windows over and obscured the pilot's vision, perhaps when the pilots were operating the undercarriage. The aircraft was allowed to go into a downward left hand turn and crashed before the captain could effect recovery. A relatively inexperienced staff pilot permitted a pupil to takeoff, contrary to instructions.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Southport: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R3399
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Carlisle – Hawarden
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was in charge to convoy the aircraft from RAF Carlisle to RAF Hawarden. En route, a lack of fuel forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing in Southport when the twin engine aircraft crashed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crew (9th FPP):
F/L Dennis Brian Brooks, pilot.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Pincher Creek

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1941 at 1345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6224
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fort McLeod - Fort McLeod
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
77
Circumstances:
The crew departed Fort McLeod on an instructional flight. As the crew neared Pincher Creek, the airplane went through thin patched of cloud. The pilot came down slowly through mist and in doing so hit rising ground. The airplane was destroyed and all three crew members were seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O R. J. Mansfield, pilot,
LAC M. J. Strong, navigator.
Passenger:
AC2 A. A. Reith.
Probable cause:
Disobedience by the captain of the aircraft in carrying out dangerous and unauthorized law flying. Having dived dangerously, under adverse weather conditions, the secondary cause was an error of judgment on the part the of the captain of the aircraft in failing to pull out in sufficient time to avoid rising round.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Stornoway

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K8703
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing at Stornoway Airport, Lewis Island. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RCAF Rivers: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1941 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6016
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rivers - Rivers
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
346
Captain / Total hours on type:
246.00
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed RCAF Rivers on a local navigation exercise. While climbing at night at an altitude of 400 feet, it was turning gently to the east when it climbed rapidly and fell off on the right wing and the nose dropped. The right wing tip hit ground first, almost vertically, and the aircraft burst into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Michael Desmond McBrien, pilot,
Sgt Edward John Pink, navigator,
Sgt G. J. Lewis, navigator,
Sgt James Douglas Ross, observer, navigator,
LAC Leonard Joseph Gray, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
The pilot became confused on entering a low lying fog bank and was unable to recover from the dive consequent upon his having carried out what was in effect, a stall turn to the right before his starboard wing struck the ground at great speed.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Unserviceable blind flying instruments,
- A sudden deterioration of the weather conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Conisborough

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4893
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Catfoss - Catfoss
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was performing a solo training flight out from RAF Catfoss. An engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing in a field. On final, the twin engine aircraft impacted trees and crashed. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
P/O Kenneth John Austin Reed, pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Manchester

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N5232
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Detling - Manchester
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Manchester-Ringway Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed short of runway and was wrecked. Both pilots from the 500th Squadron were injured.