Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Garston: 1 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NA735
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bovingdon - Bovingdon
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training sortie from RAF Bovingdon. Enroute, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions and was unable to locate the destination airfield. Eventually, he ordered his crew to bail out and attempted to make a solo approach to RAF Bovingdon. Due to fog, he decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the airplane hit tree tops and crashed in Garston, east of the airfield. The pilot was killed while all five other crew members were later rescued.

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

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV209
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Halton - Halton
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training sortie from RAF Halton. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a hill located 12 miles south of Aylesbury. All three crew members were killed and the aircraft was destroyed. It appears that the crew did not prepare the mission properly and failed to ask about meteorological conditions prior to the flight. The crew did not take advantage of their radio systems and at the time of the accident, radio contacts with local ATC based at RAF Halton were difficult.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor near Kershaw: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
43-35792
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
6439
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in a pasture located 7 miles southeast of Kershaw while conducting a training sortie. All three crewmen were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in La Carlota AFB, Caracas

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AMU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
09512
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III into the Atlantic Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SW290
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ballykelly - Ballykelly
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While on a training exercise and flying at a height of 500 feet, the captain decided to reduce his altitude when the aircraft hit the water surface and crashed into the sea about 60 miles northeast of Malin Head, Ireland. The pilot and an officer were rescued while seven other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Prague: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OK-XDU
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Prague - Prague
MSN:
13802
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Prague-Ruzyne Airport, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Kladno, northwest of the airport. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Jan Kuhl, pilot,
Josef Hainzel, pilot,
František Papácek, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Without giving any more details, Czech Authorities reported that the accident was caused by a faulty maintenance on part of ground technicians employed by the national company. Following this accident, all crew members followed a strike movement until February 18.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK Dakota C.4 in Middle Aston

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
KJ971
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Upper Heyford - Upper Heyford
MSN:
14820/26265
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie from RAF Upper Heyford. In flight, the instructor deliberately shut down an engine to simulate a failure. Few minutes later, one of the pilot under instruction inadvertently shot down the second engine. The crew was unable to restart the engine and the instructor decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a pasture located in Middle Aston, about 2 miles northwest of the airfield. The aircraft came to rest and was written off while all four crew members were unhurt.
Probable cause:
The crew inadvertently shot down an engine in flight.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 in Patuxent River NAS

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
39079
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10206
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Went out of control after touchdown and collided with trees. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Santa Rosa Island: 1 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
08204
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pensacola - Pensacola
MSN:
1098
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While landing off Santa Rosa Island, the seaplane flipped over and crashed. Four crew members were injured while the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Junkers JU.86K in Ronneby

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
156
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ronneby - Ronneby
MSN:
156
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight in Ronneby, consisting of touch and goes. On touchdown, the aircraft bounced and the crew increased power but the left engine did not response properly, maybe due to a magneto issue. The aircraft lost height and hit the ground, causing the left main gear to roll in the snow for about twenty meters. The plane then gain height, veered to the left, hit trees and crashed in a field. Both pilots were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.