Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off RAF Silloth: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 4, 1941 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7304
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Silloth - Silloth
MSN:
414-1700
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed RAF Silloth on a local training exercise. While flying at an altitude of 250 feet off the airbase, the airplane stalled and entered an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in the Solway Firth. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O Malcolm Schofield Smith, pilot,
Sgt William George Elliott, wireless operator,
Sgt Hubert William Lee,
Sgt Edward Salmons, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert James Strickland,
Sgt Roderick Barker Taylor.
Probable cause:
Loss of control while manoeuvring at an unsafe altitude (below the minimum height of 300 feet).

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I at Kaldaðarnes AFB

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T9456
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kaldaðarnes - Kaldaðarnes
MSN:
414-2509
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew made a wheels up landing at Kaldaðarnes AFB due to technical issues with the gear extension system. All four crew members evacuated safely and the airplane was written off due to extensive damage sustained during the belly landing.
Crew:
F/O Sgt Myatt +3.
Probable cause:
Belly landing due to technical issues with the gear extension system.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I on Hoy Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1941 at 0620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7310
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Wick - Wick
MSN:
414-1706
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Wick Airport at 0550LT on a convey escort patrol mission. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and lost his bearings. While flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Withi Gill and was destroyed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (220th Squadron):
Sgt Richard Douglas Harris, pilot,
Sgt Gerald Edward Towe, copilot,
Sgt Howard Collard Street, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Wilfred Wood, wireless operator and air gunner.
Photos: http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotlandn7310.htm
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew became disoriented due to bad weather.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I at RAF Carew Cheriton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1941 at 0714 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T9364
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Carew Cheriton - Carew Cheriton
MSN:
414-2399
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from RAF Carew Cheriton, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed onto a hangar. Four crew members were killed while a fifth was seriously injured. The aircraft named 'Ypenburg' was destroyed.
Crew:
Sgt J. Brugman, pilot,
Sgt Jan Michels, pilot, †
Lt Marinus Renardus van Kooij, navigator, †
Cpl Cornelis Jacobus Rademaker, radio operator, †
St Franciscus Overdijk. †
Probable cause:
The takeoff was performed in icing conditions. Investigations revealed that ice on wings and reduced takeoff power as a result of ice on the carburetors caused the accident.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Pulau Redang: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1941 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-49
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
414-1900
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While completing a routine maritime patrol flight, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some three miles northwest of the Pulau Redang Island. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (8th Squadron);
F/Lt P. R. Barnes,
F/O K. F. Ryan,
Sgt Jack Mawdsley,
Cpl R. Rose,
Cpl A. R. Campbell,
LAC A. J. Butler.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Seven Mile Pond: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1941 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T9449
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
414-2502
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Gander Airport at 1958LT on a flight to England via Greenland and Iceland, and was completing a delivery mission with a group of five other similar machines. While flying some 50 miles northeast off Gander, over the Atlantic Ocean, the oil pressure failed on the right engine. The crew shut down the engine but was unable to feather the propeller. The captain decided to return to Gander but while approaching the coast, the left engine suffered the same problem. Eventually, the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing in a snow covered field. After touchdown, the airplane slid for few dozen metres, lost its both engines and came to rest nearby a wooded area located on the Seven Mile Pond, between Musgrave Harbour and Gander. The radio operator and the navigator were killed while the pilot and the passenger were seriously injured. The following day, the passenger died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Joseph Mackey, pilot,
William Bird, navigator, †
William Snailham, radio operator. †
Passenger:
Frederick Grant Branting, famous Canadian medical scientist, Nobel Laureate and co-discover of insulin. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by an oil leak.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I in Montreal: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1941 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T9450
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Montreal - Gander
MSN:
414-2503
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a delivery flight from California to England via Canada, carrying three crew members. Shortly after takeoff from Montreal-Saint Hubert Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt L. A. Jackson, pilot,
S. H. McCaughan, radio operator +1.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V in El Paso: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AM547
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Burbank - El Paso
MSN:
414-2629
YOM:
1941
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a delivery flight from California to England via Canada. Due to poor weather conditions in east US, the crew diverted to El Paso. On approach, the twin engine airplane collided with a radio range tower located one mile east of the airport and crashed. Both crew members, US citizens, were killed.
Crew:
Marino Guglielmetti,
Robert McKee.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. It is possible that the crew was blinded while approaching the airport facing the sun.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7358
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-1754
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a maritime patrol flight, the twin engine airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Me.110 and crashed in the North Sea off the Norwegian coast. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Percy Rae Lanchbery, pilot,
Sgt Christopher Brown Thomson,
Sgt Ernest Arthur Perry,
Sgt Horace Mitchell.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I at RAF Langham: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1941 at 1448 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T9287
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bircham Newton - Langham
MSN:
414-2322
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton on a transfer flight to RAF Langham, carrying three crew members, two pilots being given local familiarization and three ground crew who were lifted to RAF Langham. Approaching RAF Langham, the pilot was demonstrating dive-bombing techniques and descended too low when the left wing collided with a barn. The airplane went out of control and crashed, killing all eight occupants.
Crew:
F/O Henry Edward Middleton Featherstone, pilot,
P/O John Buttemer Allen, pilot,
P/O Roy McKenzie Mansell, pilot,
F/O Dennis Maurice Gerald Kiralfry, pilot,
Sgt Robert Arthur Plowright, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
LAC Kenneth Charles George Gilder,
AC1 George Alexander Meridew,
LAC William Arthur Meller.
Probable cause:
The pilot misjudged the distance between the airplane and the barn while completing a demonstration at low height.