Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 into the Gulf of Martaban: 11 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1949 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XY-ABO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Yangon – Moulmein
MSN:
4176
YOM:
1948
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
At 0810, while cruising vertical to the Gulf of Martaban in good weather conditions, the crew informed ground about his ETA in Moulmein at 0845LT. Sixteen minutes later, the crew informed ground about a new ETA and this was the last radio transmission. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Moulmein, SAR operations were conducted and few debris were found in the Gulf of Martaban but unfortunately, no trace of the 11 occupants.
Crew:
P. H. Sparrow, pilot,
L. A. Stephens, radio officer.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidence, it as not possible to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Saint-Bauzile: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1948 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AJOU
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Croydon – Paris – Cannes
MSN:
4058
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left Croydon in the early afternoon for Paris with eight passengers and a crew of two. Six passengers disembarked in Paris and the aircraft took off around 1530LT bound for Cannes. About two hours into the flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain, turbulence and strong winds. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Le Coran, near Saint-Bauzile, about 9 km southeast of Privas. A local farmer was quickly on the scene but all four occupants were killed. Rescue teams arrived the next morning.
Crew:
Peter Townsend, pilot,
Arthur Frederick Freeman, radio operator.
Passengers:
Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam,
Kathleen Kennedy-Cavendish, young sister of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 2 off Locri

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AJHL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
04043
YOM:
1947
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Ionian Sea off Locri, Calabria. All occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 near Viterbo

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CQA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
4077
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from England to India to deliver the aircraft that was brand new. While descending to Rome for a refueling stop, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Urbanu located in the region of Viterbo. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove I in Chewton Common: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1947 at 1808 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AHRA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bournemouth - Bournemouth
MSN:
4003
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Two pilots and one engineer were conducting a one hour test flight from Bournemouth-Hurn Airport. While circling around the airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions but the captain informed ground he was able to reach the airfield. Shortly later, while flying at low height, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located in Chewton Common, southeast of the airport. All three occupants were killed.
It was reported in the final report that the flight was planned to obtain fuel consumption figures of the Gypsy 70 engine under cruising conditions & Captain R. G. Buck, the pilot, took off from Hurn at 1620LT, his intention being to carry out a flight of one hour duration below the cloud which was then at 1,200 feet. No notification of the flight was made to flying control until the time of take-off & no weather forecast was requested or given. It is presumed that the test was satisfactorily concluded for at 1714LT the Captain requested permission to join the circuit prior to landing. This was given together with weather information & Q.F.E. Weather conditions then began to deteriorate rapidly, cloud base lowering to 800 feet with rain. Capt. Buck gave his position as being over Bournemouth Pier at 1724LT and was instructed not to fly above 1,500 feet owing to the presence of another aircraft at 2,000 feet. Rockets & Very lights were fired & at 1735LT the pilot announced that he could see the airfield. He immediately carried out a left-hand circuit at an estimated height of 200 feet with the undercarriage down, at times going out of view into low cloud & rain. An approach at about 50 feet on runway 170 was attempted but the pilot failed to line-up with the runway & passed over the center of the airfield & disappeared in a right hand circuit. After a similar unsuccessful attempt to land, the controller gave permission for landing on any runway & gave further assistance by lighting sodium funnels. Capt. Buck then asked for a diversion stating " No radio, VHF not working & endurance three hours." At 1804LT he was told the best weather was in the London area & that London Airport had G.C.A & could work him on 5100 kc/s. The suggestion was not acted upon so the controller proposed he should make a further attempt to land at Hurn. Capt. Buck's reply was " Do not know where I am, but will try to find you." At approximately 1808LT the aircraft struck a row of trees & crashed in an adjoining copse. Weather conditions were bad with fine drizzle, a cloud base of 60 feet & visibility down to as little as 200 yards.
Probable cause:
In the opinion of the Inspector the accident was the result of the aircraft striking trees whilst flying low in conditions of poor visibility. The only recommendation made was that the present location of the inertia crash switch be reconsidered. Owing to the high inertia required to actuate this switch it was felt that a position such as the belly of the fuselage adjacent to the nose of the aircraft would be more desirable.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove I in Bournemouth: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGUC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bournemouth - Bournemouth
MSN:
04000/P/2
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Bournemouth-Hurn Airport, while on a local training flight, the captain encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The twin engine aircraft went out of control and crash landed in a field near the airport. The pilot Captain Collier and a passenger, a De Havilland representative, Mr. North, were killed. Two other passengers, also BOAC employees, Mr. A. Pierce and P. Fawcett, were injured.