Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK at RAF Hal Far

Date & Time: May 4, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
44-76412
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wheelus - Alconbury
MSN:
15996/32744
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Wheelus AFB (Tripoli) to RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, the airplane suffered a double engine failure, forcing the crew to divert to RAF Krendi for an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed and came to rest on runway. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Alconbury

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1942 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3333
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Alconbury
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was ferried from RAF Feltwell to RAF Alconbury where the pilot made an emergency downwind landing. After touchdown, the airplane veered off runway and crashed into a large bank of earth. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt A. C. Shilleto.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Thaxted

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1942 at 1955 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8904
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 1840LT on an operation to Mannheim. Following engine trouble, the crew decided to return to base and eventually abandoned the airplane that crashed at Parks Farm in Thaxted. A crew was injured.
Crew:
P/O L. J. Ackland,
Sgt P. Hall,
P/O R. F. Davies,
F/Sgt C. T. T. Brady,
Sgt H. Gallagher,
P/O R. M. Greig.
Probable cause:
Engine trouble.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1942 at 1936 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9742
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 1630LT on an operation to Hamburg. At 1936LT, the crew called for help then the airplane disappeared. It is believed that it crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O Edgar George Broad,
Sgt James Roy Fenwick,
Sgt John Priestley,
Sgt Christopher Donaldson Russell,
Sgt Thomas Hugh Thomas,
Sgt Patrick Joseph Timmons.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Schellingwoude NAS: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1942 at 2208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9824
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 1645LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While returning to base in the late evening and passing over the Netherlands, it suffered an engine failure and crashed in the Waddenzee off Schellingwoude NAS. Two crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Paul Sampson Sanders, pilot,
Sgt Fred Pearson, copilot, †
Sgt Leonard John Benson, observer,
Sgt George William Tode, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Desmond Edwin St. Clare Smithe, air gunner, †
Sgt Eric William Wainwright, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Alconbury

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1942 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3668
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wyton - Alconbury
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on a training exercise to RAF Alconbury. On final approach, a wing dropped and the airplane crashed short of runway. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
Sgt L. E. Lucas.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Kirchhellen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8862
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 0106LT on an operation to Duisburg. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Kirchhellen, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L Thomas Gresham Kirby-Green, pilot,
Sgt John Alan Lamb, pilot,
Sgt John Allen Jacques, observer,
Sgt Alfred Henry Harman, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Patrick Leo Hennigan, wireless operator,
F/O Peter Clifford Campbell-Martin, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Westergeest: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1941 at 0006 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9822
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 1926LT on October 12 on an operation to Bremen. Shortly past midnight, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Westergeest. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt George Frederick Bateman, pilot,
Sgt Peter Alan Milton, pilot,
P/O Frederick Jenkins, observer,
Sgt Harold Frederick Eyre, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Robert Butson Magrath, wireless operator,
Sgt Harry Richard Legg, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Dinant: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9619
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 1924LT on an operation to Nuremberg. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the vicinity of Dinant, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Ian Murray Vass Field, pilot,
Sgt Paul Fraser Collis, pilot,
F/O Eric John Sugg, observer,
Sgt Richard Anthony Dundon, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Thomas Lincoln Duxbury, wireless operator,
Sgt Henry Raymond Gordon Chapman, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Lützkampen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1941 at 2206 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1328
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 1955LT on an operation to Frankfurt. A little more than two hours later, just after passing the border between Belgium and Germany, it was shot down by enemy fire. With the port engine that had failed, the airplane crashed in Lützkampen. Two crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L John Croft Atkins, pilot, †
P/O Robin Munro Ryder, †
Sgt Brindley Timms Banner,
Sgt Arthur Edward Hough,
Sgt Robert Challis Thompson,
Sgt Denis Frederick Barlow.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.