Date & Time:
Sep 8, 1940 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
N1414
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1568
YOM:
1939
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane took off at 2350LT on September 7 to reconnoitre the French and Belgian coastline. 51 Squadron ORB indicates an engine failed while the crew were outbound and despite jettisoning the bomb-load, the pilot was unable to maintain height and subsequently a crash landing was made at 0100LT near Wells, Norfolk. A reliable private source reports that the incident occurred at 0350LT at Hindringham, 4 miles southeast of Wells-next-the-Sea, suggesting the possibility that the crew may have been on the return part of their operation.
Crew:
S/L J. B. Tait,
P/O A. G. Davies,
Sgt T. Gray,
Sgt A. E. Creswell,
Sgt Short.
Crew:
S/L J. B. Tait,
P/O A. G. Davies,
Sgt T. Gray,
Sgt A. E. Creswell,
Sgt Short.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.
