Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Reykjavik

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
7302
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
469
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off for unknown reason. No casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A-CO Liberator I in Reykjavik: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1943 at 1136 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AM921
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Reykjavik Airport, while on a transit flight from Europe to the US, the engine number three caught fire and exploded. The crew attempted to return for an emergency landing. On final approach, the engine number three fell off and the aircraft landed in flames. On touchdown, the right main gear failed and the aircraft skidded for several hundred yards before coming to rest with both wings on fire. Nine crew members were killed while six others were injured.
Crew (120th Squadron):
W/O P. L. B. Ellis, pilot, †
F/S J. G. Benson, copilot, †
F/S G. Lowrison, radio navigator, †
Sgt D. McClelland, flight engineer,
F/S A. Barthorpe, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt G. Young, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt W. Stanfield, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Passengers:
Cdr C. Harris,
Lt A. Finn,
S/L H. Catchlove,
F/O W. Wright, †
F/L F. H. Salt, †
LAC M. I. Kidd, †
Cpl H. Y. Mills, †
Cpl J. D. Cole. †
Probable cause:
Fire and explosion of the engine number three caused by an oil leak.

Crash of a Focke-Wulf Fw.200C-4 Condor off Reykjavik: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F8+BB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
0125
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was shot down by the pilots of a USAAF P.38 and a Curtiss P-40 and crashed into the sea some 15 km west of Reykjavik. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (I./KG 40):
Ofw Fritz Köhn,
Ofw Philipp Haisch,
Ofw Ottmar Ebener,
Uffz Wolgang Schulze,
Ofw Artur Wohlleben,
Ofw Albert Winkelmann.
Probable cause:
Shot down by two USAAF fighters.

Crash of a Waco YKS-7 in Reykjavik: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
TF-ORN
Survivors:
No
MSN:
4683
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Reykjavik, the engine failed. The pilot decided to return and on final approach, the aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway . Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.91 Albatross in Reykjavik

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
AX904
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Whitchurch - Reykjavik
MSN:
6801
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing in Reykjavik, the gear collapsed and the aircraft christened 'Franlkin' was damaged beyond repair. All four crew members escaped unhurt.
Probable cause:
Failure of the landing gear.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.91 Albatross in Reykjavik

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1941 at 2017 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AX903
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bristol – Reykjavik
MSN:
6800
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane named 'Faraday' departed Bristol-Filton Airport on a mail flight to Reykjavik, carrying five crew members and the military mail. After touchdown, one of the undercarriage collapsed. The airplane veered off runway and collided with a parked Fairey Battle registered L5547. The Albatross was damaged beyond repair and all five crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed after landing.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY Catalina in Reykjavik

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AH557
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The floatplane was damaged upon landing off Skerjafjördur in Reykjavik. To prevent the aircraft from sinking, the pilot stranded the aircraft at the beach. It was subsequently written off. There were no injuries among the crew.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I on Mt Fagradalsfjall: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1941 at 0545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9023
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Reykjavik - Reykjavik
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Following an escort duty mission over the Atlantic Ocean, the floatplane was returning to its base in Reykjavik. The crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls and low ceiling. In limited visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Fagradalsfjall located about 30 km southwest of Reykjavik Airport and was destroyed upon impact. Three crew members were killed and 10 others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Herbert William Taylor, air gunner, †
Sgt Wilfred Cook, wireless operator, †
AC1 Alfred James Thomas Copping, †
P/O B. J. Prescott,
F/Lt J. D. P. Hughes,
P/O J. Dewar,
Sgt L. G. James,
Sgt A. P. Cosworth,
Sgt D. W. Helm,
Cpl W. J. Doddington,
AC1 T. C. Jennings,
AC1 J. Jellfe,
Cpl G. E. L. Jones.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain in poor weather conditions.