Training

During the takeoff roll, the crew lost control of the aircraft that veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew left Ankara-Etimesgut AFB for a local training flight when the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Gölbaşı, south of Ankara. All four crew members were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Bournemouth-Hurn Airport, while on a local training flight, the captain encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The twin engine aircraft went out of control and crash landed in a field near the airport. The pilot Captain Collier and a passenger, a De Havilland representative, Mr. North, were killed. Two other passengers, also BOAC employees, Mr. A. Pierce and P. Fawcett, were injured.

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean off Point Arena, killing all six crew members who were returning to their base following a maritime patrol mission.
Crew:
Lt Jg W. Bulter,
Ems C. L. Coler,
Amm1 G. R. Spalding,
Amm1 W. W. Englehardt,
Arm1 T. M. Meleller,
Aom1 W. Zinkel.

The crew was completing a training mission at Elefsis AFB. On final approach, during the last segment, the captain decided to make a go around and increased power on both engines. For unknown reason, the aircraft failed to gain height, banked left, causing the left wing to hit the ground. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in flames. The copilot survived while five other occupants were killed.

The twin engine aircraft left RAF Shawbury at 1512LT on a training mission to RAF Debden. After takeoff, the pilot decided to perform a low pass around the airfield and proceeded north of the terrain at an insufficient altitude of 300 feet. While performing a turn to the left, the aircraft lost height, collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt P. J. Boothman, pilot,
F/O W. G. Gingell, navigator,
F/O G. M. Harrison, wireless operator and navigator,
F/Sgt C. G. H. Wheeler.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a night cross country exercise from RAF Wheaton Aston. Enroute, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Huddlesford. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew (21st PAFU):
W/O Matthew Hamilton Orr.

On final approach to Heliopolis Airbase, while on a local training sortie, the captain decided to make a go around. The twin engine aircraft failed to gain height, stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. The pilot was injured while four other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

On 26th July 1946 110 (City of York) ATC Squadron were holding their annual summer camp at the Central Gunnery School (CGS) at Leconfield. As part of their camp the Cadets were being allowed to be taken as passengers on training flights the CGS were undertaking. There is a suggestion that more than one Wellington was being used for this but if this was so then the take-off times were staggered and their flights did not interrupt or engage with each other. The Wellington concerned in this incident had suffered an engine malfunction prior to take-off and the two cadets already down to have a flight on this aircraft were allocated to a different aircraft to have their trip. The faulty aircraft was soon repaired and two further cadets would be allowed to go up in this original aircraft for what become the ill-fated flight. The ill-fated flight finally took off with a pilot and two cadets on board at around 1400LT, they flew northwards and towards the North Yorkshire Moors. The pilot of the Wellington carried out a Bomber Affiliation training exercise with other aircraft, the Wellington was being subjected to a number of dummy attacks by two Spitfires. It was during one of these attacks and twenty five minutes into the flight that tragedy struck at 1420LT; one of the Spitfires was making a head-on attack on the Wellington when the pilot of the Spitfire misjudged the distance between the two aircraft. The two aircraft collided head on more or less directly over the village of Appleton-le-Moors. The Wellington partly broke up in the air, with parts being scattered across the main street in Appleton le Moors and on houses in the village. Both aircraft, including the main section of this Wellington came down in flames on and near the village football field. There would be no survivors. At the inquest to their deaths, the Coroner, Mr R K Smith gave a verdict of "death by misadventure".
Crew:
W/O Henryk Szwedowski, pilot.
Passengers:
Cadet William Anthony Lain,
Cadet Robert Hall.
Source:
http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/46-50/bj884.html

At 1535LT on 24th July 1946 this aircraft took off from Leconfield airfield for its crew to carry out a fighter affiliation exercise with a Spitfire (Spitfire TD236, of "F" Flight piloted by S/Ldr Leonard A Wood). The aircraft flew in a northerly direction, met up with the Spitfire over Driffield and then, owing to low cloud, the exercises were carried out at 10,000 feet over the Scarborough area. On board the Wellington was a pilot, a gunnery instructor and three trainee air gunners. During the exercise the Wellington was practicing taking evasive action when attacked by the fighter, it was thought that the pilot of the Wellington was making such a turn downwards, believed to have been the last of the exercise, but immediately after the last attack the Wellington went into a near vertical dive from between 6,000 and 7,000 feet from which it did not recover. At 1645LT the aircraft crashed into the grounds of Wykeham Abbey and while not catching fire it disintegrated on impact creating a large crater. All five on board stood no chance, they were killed instantly and the body of one of the crew was never found. The list or airmen below shows their trades as CWGC give. The resulting crash investigation reported that the aircraft had been reported as being nose-heavy in the weeks leading up to the crash but it was checked but was passed as serviceable on the day of this crash. The investigation listed a number of previous incidents when the aircraft had been inspected. It had been used in the prototype bouncing bomb trials and had its bomb doors removed for this but was later converted back to a "normal" Wellington and on 1st December 1943 repairs were completed at Vickers factory, Weybridge. On 17th July 1946 it was test flown and rear doors found locked up. A day later on 18th July 1946 it was test flown and the elevator trim for level flight was found incorrectly set, the cables were adjusted for correct movement. On 23rd July 1946 it was flown by F/Lt Meikle, who reported the aircraft nose heavy and the port engine was running slow. Extra ballast was added and the port engine revs were adjusted. On 24th July 1946 it was flown by W/O Schwedoski, who reported aircraft was satisfactory (he would be killed soon after in a crash at Appleton le Moors just a few days after this incident at Wykeham) but later that day the fatal crash at Wykeham occurred.
Crew:
W/O Roland Harrison, pilot,
F/Lt John Christopher Haldon, air gunner,
W/O Frederick Charles Stiff, air gunner,
F/Sgt Peter Ingram, air gunner,
W/O John Forest Armstrong, wireless operator and engineer.
Source:
http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/ryedale/bj895.html