Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Winthorpe

Date & Time: May 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7297
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Winthorpe - Winthorpe
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the take off run, one of the engine failed. Pilots applied brakes but the aircraft did not decelerate as expected. So the captain decided to retract the landing gear. The aircraft skidded on its belly for several yards before coming to rest. While all occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester IA in RAF Wigsley

Date & Time: May 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7491
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wigsley - Wigsley
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Swerved on take off, veered off runway and came to rest. No casualties.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Swinderby

Date & Time: May 1, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7468
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Swinderby, an engine caught fire and exploded. The aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in an open field short of runway. All seven crew were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester in RAF Wigsley

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943 at 1850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7294
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wigsley - Wigsley
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Wigsley at 1645LT for a cross country exercise. Less than two hours later, an engine caught fire and the captain decided to return to his base. On final approach, the aircraft on fire stalled and crashed in a field short of runway. While all seven crew members were injured, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew (1654 HCU):
Sgt William Hedley Eager,
Sgt T. D. Viggers,
Sgt H. T. Petts,
Sgt T. H. James,
Sgt F. R. Stone,
Sgt G. E. Hunnington,
Sgt A. Jones.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Wigsley

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7291
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. As all seven crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Swinderby

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7453
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off, while in initial climb, an engine caught fire. The crew decided to land immediately while the landing gear have just been retracted. The aircraft belly landed and skidded few yards before coming to rest. All seven crew were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Wickenby

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 1255 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5838
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Winthorpe - Winthorpe
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Winthorpe to demonstrate feathering procedures, during which the port engine was shut down. The pilot attempted to restart the engine at 5,000 feet, but was forced to crash-land at RAF Wickenby after the port propeller failed to unfeather. After landing, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overshot the runway and came to rest in a ditch, causing the starboard undercarriage to collapse. The crew escaped unhurt and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
W/O E. Knight, pilot +4.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester in North Scarle

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7277
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, an engine failure forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing near North Scarle. On approach, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a field. While the aircraft was written off, all occupants were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Waddington

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1943 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7286
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Swinderby at 0916LT on a navigation training sortie. While cruising at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the right engine caught fire. The captain decided to divert to RAF Waddington to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed and came to rest. All seven crew members (1660 OCU) were unhurt.
Probable cause:
The flame traps burned in flight, causing the engine to catch fire.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Fishtoft Drove

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1943 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7391
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fulbeck - Fulbeck
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a gunnery exercise from RAF Fulbeck. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 1,200 feet, the starboard engine failed. As the captain was unable to maintain a safe altitude and could not return to his base, he decided to attempt an emergency landing in Fishtoft Drove, north of Boston. The aircraft came to rest in a field and was damaged beyond repair while all six crew members were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Failure of the starboard engine.