De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Operator:

Somerton Airways

Registration:

G-AGPI

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Southampton – Cowes

MSN:

6885

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Cowes Airfield, the twin engine aircraft overshot, hit tree tops and the roof of a house before crashing in a garden. The aircraft was written off and all seven occupants were slightly injured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide in Chipping Sodbury: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

NF857

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

6728

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after his departure from RAF Colerne, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a field located one mile north of Chipping Sodbury. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in North Ronaldsay

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AHXV

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

6747

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing an ambulance flight with one patient, two accompanists and a crew of two. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and hit a ditch before coming to rest on its nose. All five occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Glasgow

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AHXY

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Benbecula – Glasgow

MSN:

6808

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Glasgow-Renfrew Airport, while completing an ambulance flight from Benbecula, the aircraft crashed on a golf course. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide off Liverpool: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1948 at 1815 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Mannin Airways

Registration:

G-AKOF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Liverpool-John Lennon (ex Speke)

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dublin – Douglas

MSN:

6538

YOM:

1947

Location:

Merseyside

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

15000

Circumstances:

On approach to Douglas-Ronaldsway Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was unable to land. In thick fog, the pilot made several attempts to land, without success. As the weather conditions were better in Liverpool, he decided to divert. While descending to Speke Airport, both engines stopped simultaneously. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing but the aircraft crashed into the Mersey, about 3 miles north of the airport. A passenger was rescued while eight other occupants were killed. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Crew:
John Higgins, pilot,
Noel Clucas, radio operator.

Probable cause:

It was determined that both engines failed on approach to Liverpool-Speke Airport because the fuel tanks were empty. The crew positioned that day from Douglas to Dublin to pick up passengers but failed to refuel prior to departure from Dublin. After several unsuccessful attempts to land in Douglas-Ronaldsway Airport, a divert to Liverpool and one approach, the fuel tanks were empty and both engines failed as the fuel quantity was insufficient. It was then considered that the crew misjudged the situation. The pilot was very experienced with over 15,000 flying hours and more than 5,000 flights between Liverpool and the Isle of Man.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Syria

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGOP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Haifa – Damascus

MSN:

6873

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route to Damascus, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in a desert area located in the southeast of Syria. Both occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide near Peel: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1948 at 2000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Hargreaves Airways

Registration:

G-AIUI

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Birmingham – Douglas

MSN:

6675

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew started the descent to Douglas-Ronaldsway Airport in poor weather conditions. Apparently following a navigational error, the aircraft came from the west at a too low altitude when it hit a cliff located near Peel. The wreckage was found few hours later. Both crew members and four passengers were killed while two others were seriously injured. The crew was unable to locate the airport of Douglas and to know his exact position when the accident occurred. The pilot was completing his first flight to Douglas Airport.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dominie near RAF Boscombe Down: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

NR753

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

6841

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in the vicinity of the RAF Boscombe Down, the twin engine aircraft collided in unknown circumstances with a RAF Avro 652 Anson registered NL248. The Dominie went out of control and crashed in a prairie while the pilot of the Anson was able to land safely. All three crew members on board the Dominie were killed.
Crew:
F/O Ashley James Greer,
Peter J. Bartlett,
Peter C. Damon.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide in Daly Waters

Date & Time: May 6, 1948 at 1321 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VH-BKM

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site: