Bristol 142 Blenheim | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The pilot departed RAF Bicester on a solo training flight consisting of single engine practice without the aid of flaps and glide approaches. While on approach of RAF Croughton, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a field located about 1,5 km northwest of the airbase, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Meredith Edward Tuttle, pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Calcutta: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1942 at 0625 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7647

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Calcutta - Calcutta

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after liftoff from Calcutta-Dum Dum, the airplane lost height and crashed. The pilot and the observer were killed and three other occupants were injured. The airplane was destroyed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Charles Brian Berry Wallis, pilot, †
P/O Donald Page, observer. †
Passengers:
Lt A. Dorner, pilot,
Sgt H. Whitehead, observer,
Sgt Barnard Thomas McDade.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident remains unclear. A probable engine failure may cause the accident as well as a premature raise of the undercarriage.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Vechta: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1942 at 0146 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7428

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 2245LT on an operation to Vechta Airfield. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a pasture located east of the city. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Fred Martyn Thorne, pilot,
P/O Bryan Manssen Cook, observer,
P/O William Smith Blackadder, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV on Mt Kenya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7763

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nanyuki - Nanyuki

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a cross country navigation exercise out from Nanyuki. The airplane failed to return to base and SAR operations were abandoned as no trace of the airplane was found. Eventually, the wreckage was found in 2002 on the slope of Mt Kenya. All four crew members from the South African Air Force were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Charles Herbert Allen, pilot,
2nd Lt Hendrik Jacobus Petrus 'Bokkie' Lemmer, navigator,
Sgt Simon Eliastam, wireless operator,
Sgt Llyod Murray, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I into the North Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7319

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

West Raynham - West Raynham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 2250LT on July 21 on an operation to the airfield of Ahlhorn located 13 km northeast of Cloppenburg, Germany. The airplane failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed into the North Sea off the Danish coast. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/O Leslie John Jackson, pilot,
Sgt Samuel Beaumont, observer,
Sgt Albert Harris, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Poringland: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1942 at 1500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z1304

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham on an air test mission, carrying three crew members and one civilian meteorologist. En route, it collided with the pylon of the Poringland Radar Station and crashed. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O Phillip Henry Lowther, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Custance Ellis, observer,
Sgt George Bernard Crawford, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passenger:
Mr. Kenneth Thomas Tagg, meteorologist.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Catfoss

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1942 at 1720 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1288

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Catfoss - Catfoss

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a local training flight at RAF Catfoss. Following a hydraulic failure, the undercarriage got jammed and the crew was forced to make a belly landing after which the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure of the hydraulic system in flight, which caused the undercarriage to be jammed.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Woodbridge

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1942 at 0330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V5503

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 0028LT on an operation to Deelen Airfield in the Netherlands. It was badly shot about overt the target area and while returning to base, it crashed in an open field located 5 km north of Woodbridge. All three crew members were rescued.
Crew:
P/O L. Rule,
Sgt Bradshaw,
Sgt Gatling.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1942 at 0118 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V6071

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 0015LT on an operation to Deelen Airfield in the Netherlands. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the Amsterdamse Bos in Amstelveen. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Peter Cyprain Coulthard, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Dennis Meech, observer,
P/O Lyn George Lloyd Ward, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.