Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

L6318

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Squires Gate - Squires Gate

MSN:

7870/15

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Squires Gate on a navigation exercise. En route, the twin engine airplane entered a cloudy area when it impacted the northeast slope of Mt Tal-y-Fan located 3 km northwest of Rowen. The wreckage and all five dead bodies were found a day later.
Crew (3rd School of General Reconnaissance):
W/O Herford Linton Pendal, pilot,
Sgt Robert Wilmore Patrick, navigator,
Sgt John Bernard Wood, navigator,
AC1 Ronald Ibbetson, wireless operator,
AC1 Andrew Smyth, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I off Abbey Head: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L6233

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

7866/30

YOM:

1940

Location:

Abbey Head

Dumfries and Galloway

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane crashed for unknown reasons into the sea some 5 km southwest of Abbey Head. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Brian Lundius Garlick,
Lac Donald Peter Alan Hunt,
Cpl Robert Edwin Springer,
Lac William Richard James Stubbs,
Lac Robert John Wright.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I off Brough: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L6355

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Demonstration

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Brough - Brough

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was performing a demo flight at the Blackburn Aircraft facilities based at Brough Airfield. While completing a low pass, the twin engine airplane clipped the roof of a hangar, stalled and crashed into the Humber River. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
P/O James Francis Haley, pilot.

Probable cause:

Crew error.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha on Mt Moelwynion

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W5142

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

3291/25

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising over the Snowdonia area, the airplane stalled and crashed on Mt Moelwynion. All five crew members were rescued.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. M. Foster,
F/Sgt L. Moss,
Sgt L. H. Ganner,
Sgt J. Haig,
Sgt J. A. Rawlinson.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I at RAF Dishforth

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Operator:

Registration:

L6289

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

MSN:

7868/36

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed while taking off from RAF Dishforth. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine failure at takeoff.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I in Lisburn

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L6432

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following a fuel mishandling in flight, both engines failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in Lisburn and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight following a fuel mishandling.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I in Hawling

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L6436

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane suffered a double engine failure in flight and crash landed in an open field in Hawling. It lost its undercarriage and collided with a hedge. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I off Girvan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L6418

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Prestwick - Prestwick

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Prestwick Airport on a training mission on behalf of the 3rd Radio Direction Finding School. En route, an engine failed, forcing the pilot to ditch the airplane off Girvan. The radio operator sank with the aircraft and drowned. All three other occupants took refuge in a dinghy and were rescued three hours later.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur Richard Dipple, radio operator, †
Sgt R. Salisbury +2.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I in the Saligo Bay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L6276

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site: