Country
code

Staffordshire

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Lichfield

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
AE238
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham on an operation to Cologne. It was hit by the German Flak and while returning to base, it crashed upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. All four crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt Woodhall,
Sgt Pomroy,
Sgt Todd,
Sgt Lynch.
Probable cause:
Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Gayton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1941 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6013
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Upwood - Upwood
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Upwood on a training exercise. It crashed for unknown reasons at Wetmoor Farm in Gayton, about six miles northeast of Stafford. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Harold William Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Frank Raymond Bayliss, observer,
Sgt John Alexander Hendley, wireless operator.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth at RAF Lichfield

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
X9382
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manchester - Lichfield
MSN:
7056
YOM:
1934
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a delivery flight from Manchester-Ringway with three crew members on board. The undercarriage collapsed upon landing at RAF Lichfield and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed upon landing.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth in Halfpenny Green

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
BD169
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Castle Bromwich - Halfpenny Green
MSN:
7009
YOM:
1934
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Castle Bromwich on a solo flight to Halfpenny Green. For unknown reasons, the airplane crashed upon landing and was destroyed by a post crash fire. The pilot Sgt Jendrosz was seriously injured.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 near Gradbach: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 8, 1941 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F1+AD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
6213
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Following a bombing mission over Liverpool, the airplane was returning to base when it was shot down by the crew of a Defiant and crashed near Gradbach. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Dietrich Heistermann Von Ziehlberg, pilot,
Oblt Walter Lemke, observer,
Obfw Rudolf Schwalbe, radio operator,
Fw Georg Mahl, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dominie in Yoxall

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
R9551
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6479
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a ferry flight from RAF Hendon. En route, he encountered poor weather conditions and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in an open field. Both pilots were uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Bradnop: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K6283
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cranage - Cranage
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While on a navigation training flight from Cranage near Holmes Chapel the pilot encountered cloud. He attempted to fly out of the cloud but the weather conditions were rapidly decreasing, the pilot found a gap in the cloud which he followed. On exiting the cloud he was confronted by rising ground and no room to manoeuvre and the aircraft struck the ground. At the time of the accident the wireless operator was changing over to regional control from the local frequency for Cranage so the wireless was effectively useless for aiding navigation during this period. The aircraft hit the ground fairly level but it slid into a bank between two ditches which turned the aircraft over trapping the pilot in the then water filled ditch from which he did not escape.
Crew (2nd SAN):
Sgt Arthur Maelor Owen, pilot, †
P/O William Pat Ferrie, navigator,
F/S A. H. Judkins, wireless operator.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrictk6283.htm

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near RAF Lichfield

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4887
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
MSN:
8902
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to make an emergency landing in a field located 2,5 miles southwest of RAF Lichfield. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O C. P. Newman,
LAC P. E. Johnson,
AC1 F. J. Mantle.

Crash of an Avro 504N in Walsall

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AEDD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
K1823
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Walsall Airfield, the engine failed. The aircraft lost height, collided with a fence and crashed. The passenger was injured and the pilot was unhurt.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Rugeley: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1208
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
MSN:
8491
YOM:
1938
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Wyton on a training sortie. While flying in clouds, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a pasture near Rugeley. All three crewmen were killed.
Crew:
F/O Robert Duncan Tate,
Cpl Headley George Kennett,
AC1 Robert Cyril Salter.