Gloucestershire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft was performing a regular schedule flight to the RAF Whitchurch, south of Bristol. While on approach, the crew encountered engine problems and attempted to make an emergency landing in a field located in Pucklechurch, northeast of the airport. Just prior to touchdown, the four engine aircraft impacted a house and crashed in a field. All 12 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft named 'Fingal' was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

All four engines failed on approach after a fuel line ruptured.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Gloucester: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1940 at 1430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8797

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Upwood on a bombing practice mission. En route, the pilot encountered engine problems and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in Tuffley, in the suburb of Gloucester. A crew was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt Robert George Coventry, pilot, †
Sgt J. S. Lane, observer,
Sgt G. Wilcox, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RAF Windrush

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K8754

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crash landed at RAF Windrush for unknown reasons. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P at RAF Windrush: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1940 at 2356 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

1408

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in a bombing mission over the RAF Brize Norton but its crew apparently mistook RAF Brize Norton with RAF Windrush. Approaching the airfield at night, the airplane collided with an Avro 652 Anson I of the RAF. Registered L9164, it just took off from RAF Windrush with one pilot on board who was completing a navigation exercice. Both aircrafts crashed and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Obfw Alfred Dreh,
Uffz Richard Schmidt,
Uffz Herbert Rave,
Uffz Ewald Cohrs.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RAF Windrush: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1940 at 2356 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

L9164

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Windrush - Windrush

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Shortly after take off from RAF Windrush, while on night training mission, the twin engine aircraft collided with a Luftwaffe Heinkel He.111. Its crew was involved in a bombing mission over the RAF Brize Norton but apparently mistaken Windrush for Brize Norton. Both aircrafts crashed and all five crew members were killed.
Crew (6th SFTS):
Sgt Bruce Hancock.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Aston Down: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L6799

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Aston Down - Aston Down

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Aston Down when the aircraft collided with an RAF Spitfire and crashed. Both pilots were killed as well as the pilot on board the Spitfire.
Crew:
P/O George Gordon Crawford, pilot,
Sgt John Martin Oxtoby, pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Aston Down: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1105

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Aston Down - Aston Down

MSN:

8388

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The pilot was completing a post maintenance test flight out from RAF Aston Down. On final approach, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot P/O Eric Wilfred Bell was killed.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at RAF South Cerney

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

L4537

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

South Cerney - South Cerney

MSN:

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training flight out from RAF South Cerney. On final approach, the twin engine aircraft stalled, hit a hedge and crashed short of runway. Both pilots were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Stall on approach due to an insufficient speed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide at RAF Staverton: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1940

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Operator:

Registration:

G-AEMM

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

6339

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Shortly after take off from RAF Staverton, while climbing, the aircraft collided with an unknown aircraft and crashed in a field. Both crewmen were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth in Tewkesbury

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1940

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth

Operator:

Registration:

G-ABSO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Hendon – Aston Down

MSN:

2217

YOM:

1932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from RAF Hendon to RAF Aston Down on behalf of the 24th Squadron. En route, the engine failed, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing in a field located in Tewkesbury. Both occupants escaped unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.