Vickers 416 Wellington IC | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Oakington on an operation to Emden. Flying along the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Terschelling. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Lewis Chapman,
P/O Colin Hubert Curtis,
Sgt Francis Ernest Dunn,
Sgt Alan Herbert Hancox,
Sgt Herbert William Mantle,
Sgt Arthur Sidney Spackman.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Braemar: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1942 at 1250 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1646

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Lossiemouth - Lossiemouth

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The airplane departed RAF Lossiemouth on a training exercise. In unknown circumstances, it impacted the slope of a mountain located near Braemar. The wreckage was found three days later in a snow covered hilly terrain. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O James Williamson Thomson, pilot,
Sgt Robert James Jackson, pilot,
Sgt Michael Henry John Kilburn, pilot,
F/Sgt Harry Joseph Kelley, observer,
Sgt Beaumont Churchill Dickson,
Sgt Roy Alistair Milliken,
Sgt John Bernard Riley, wireless operator,
Sgt William Morphet Greenbank, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Chipping Warden

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1942 at 0100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

X9931

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Chipping Warden - Chipping Warden

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The airplane was completing a local training exercise at RAF Chipping Warden. While circling the airbase at night, it crashed northeast of the runway and was destroyed. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt B. O. Gates,
Sgt R. M. Lawrence,
P/O R. E. Halliday,
Sgt D. H. M. Jacques,
Sgt S. Cox,
Sgt E. Mason.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Tilburg: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1942 at 2317 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

T2971

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

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The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 1800LT on an operation to Bremen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Tilburg. Three crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Jindřich Svoboda, pilot, †
Sgt Zdenek Sichrovsky,
P/O Jaromir Brož, navigator, †
Sgt Rudolf Mašek, wireless operator, †
Sgt Karel Batelka,
Sgt Josef Šnajdr.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near King's Bromley: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1942 at 2105 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

X9706

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

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The airplane departed RAF Lichfield on a night training bombing exercise. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase, the pilot became disoriented following the failure of instruments. The airplane crashed in a pasture at Echilles Farm, near King's Bromley. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Jack Stephen Richards Woolnough, pilot,
Sgt Evan Frederick Webb, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Ernest Williams, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Henry Rogerson, observer,
Sgt Wilfred Roy Beeton, wireless operator,
Sgt Malcolm Hunter Welch, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Wilson Savage, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after the pilot became disoriented following the failure of instruments.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Spurn Head: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1942 at 0210 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

Z1145

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 1810LT on January 15 on an operation to Hamburg. It was damaged by enemy action and while returning to base the following night, both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion. The airplane crashed into the sea off Spurn Head. Two crew members were rescued and four others were killed.
Crew:
P/O Thomas George Cottier, pilot, †
P/O Clifford Herbert Lomas, †
F/Sgt Lloyd Charles Powell, pilot, †
Sgt Thomas Noel Pugh, †
Sgt A. E. Cox,
Sgt J. A. H. Lucas.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Whitby: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1759

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 1740LT on January 15 an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it is presumed that it crashed into the sea off Whitby. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Edward Everett Hale, pilot,
Sgt George James Peck, pilot,
F/Sgt William John Elder,
Sgt Arthur Lionel Lax,
Sgt Joseph Barnby Myers,
P/O Henry Joseph Woodrow.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC on Mt Cheviot: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942 at 2355 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

Z1078

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Snaith - Snaith

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The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 1723LT on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base in the late evening, the crew encountered heavy snow falls over the north of England. Flying at an altitude of 1,500 feet in poor visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Cheviot. A crew was killed and five others were seriously injured. The next day, two of the survivors died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt Laurence Warren Hunt, pilot, †
Sgt Thomas Walter Irving, observer, †
Sgt Frederick George Maple, wireless operator, †
P/O B. A. McDonald,
Sgt W. H. Allworth,
Sgt C. F. Glover.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Hollenstedt: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942 at 2334 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1395

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds

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The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 1742LT on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Hollenstedt. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Samuel Dainton, pilot, †
Sgt Ambrose Bowen Thomas, pilot, †
F/Sgt Eric Twelves, observer, †
Sgt Arthur Stockdale, wireless operator, †
Sgt T. B. Lewis, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Gilbert Peter Mallon Hardesty, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near RAF Honington

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1942 at 2235 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

Z9847

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Waterbeach - Waterbeach

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Waterbeach at 1710LT on an operation to Emden. Badly shot about a night fighter, it crash landed near RAF Honington. All six crew members were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt T. Dignan,
Sgt K. S. W. Norman,
Sgt Seymour,
Sgt Carter,
F/Sgt Hood,
F/Sgt Green.

Probable cause:

Hit by enemy fire.

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