Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in Cambridge: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V3888
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cambridge - Cambridge
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Cambridge Airport by night, an engine failed. The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing but the aircraft hit a tree and crashed onto a house. The pilot was killed while there were no casualties on the ground.
Crew (5th FPP):
P/O Irene Arckless, pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in Norwood AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1324
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Norwood - Norwood
MSN:
39
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While on a training mission at Norwood airbase, the aircraft collided with another RNZAF Airspeed AS.10 Oxford registered NZ1286 with two pilots on board. Following the collision, the second aircraft landed safely at Norwood Airport while the first aircraft crashed near the airfield. A crew member was seriously injured while both other occupants were killed. The exact circumstances of the collision remains unknown.
Crew (1st SFTS):
F/O Cyril Henderson, †
LAC Eric Broadhurst. †

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in Lincoln: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1353
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wigram - Wigram
MSN:
398
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route, one of the wing failed. The twin engine aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field, killing both crew members.
Crew (1st SFTS):
P/O Walter Webb,
LAC Ian McIntyre.
Probable cause:
According to the RNZAF, the accident was caused by the structural failure of a wing in flight. This was caused by faulty maneuvers (aerobatic) on part of the crew who positioned the aircraft in a wrong attitude, causing the forces to exceed the design of the wing that failed.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I on Mt Moel Sych: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BM824
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Moel Sych, southeast of Llandrillo. A crew member was killed while two others were injured.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in RAF Chipping Norton: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1942 at 0350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AB694
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chipping Norton - Chipping Norton
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off, while on a night training exercise, the aircraft failed to gain height, hit trees located past the runway end and crashed. Both pilots were killed.
Crew (6th AFU):
F/O H. A. Kallend, pilot,
Sgt James Greenall, pilot.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft was unable to gain sufficient height after rotation because the elevator trim was incorrectly set by the crew.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I on Mt Egmont: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ277
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
New Plymouth - New Plymouth
MSN:
499
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission and left New Plymouth AFB in the day. En route, the twin engine aircraft disappeared without trace. SAR operations were conducted and eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. A hunter found the wreckage in a wooded area located on a slope of Mt Egmont on January 17, 1974. Mt Egmont was later renamed Mt Taranaki.
Crew:
P/O Rodney Dandy,
Sgt Edward Dodson,
Sgt Graham Martin,
Sgt Douglas Martyn.
Probable cause:
According to the RNZAF, the crew was bothered by the sudden deterioration of the weather conditions while flying in a valley close to Mt Egmont. Due to poor visibility and low ceiling, the crew was unable to locate the mountain on which the aircraft crashed.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Escrick: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1942 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP395
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Acaster Malbis - Acaster Malbis
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On a training mission at RAF Acaster Malbis, the crew was approaching the airfield in poor visibility when the aircraft crashed in a field located in Escrick, east of the airbase. Both crew members were killed.
Crew (15th Squadron):
F/Sgt John Neil MacIver, pilot,
F/Sgt Harold Winston Cutler, pilot.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford near RAF Newmarket

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4625
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew lost his orientation and was unable to localize his position due to weather deterioration. Few minutes later, both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion. All four crew members decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft dove into the ground, crashed in a field and was destroyed while all four crew were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Pilot disorientation.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I near Strachan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6438
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Dalcross - Dalcross
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a navigation exercise from the RAF Dalcross. En route, the twin engine aircraft entered a cloudy area and while at an altitude of 1,725 feet, hit a hill located south of Strachan. A crew member was killed while the second occupant was rescued.
Crew (2nd FIS):
P/O John Keddie, pilot, †
P/O White, navigator.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in Wigram AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1221
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wigram - Wigram
MSN:
2599
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight in the vicinity of the Wigram FB, Christchurch. While flying at low altitude, the twin engine aircraft collided with another RNZAF Airspeed AS.10 Oxford registered NZ1303. Following the collision, the first aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all three occupants. The second aircraft was able to land safely at Wigram AFB.