Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.2 near Driffield

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Avro 694 Lincoln
Operator:
Registration:
SX981
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Driffield AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training sortie on behalf of the 101st Squadron. En route, an engine caught fire. All six crew members decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Driffield. While all six crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Driffield: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 619 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
RP520
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Driffield AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Drieffield, the crew encountered control problems and informed ground that he was attempting an emergency landing. Few seconds later, the aircraft nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion few hundred yards short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on final approach caused by the failure of several bolts on an elevator.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1942 at 0556 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5575
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2341LT on April 17 on an operation to Hamburg. Over the North Sea, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Edward Alan Olliver,
Sgt William Waddell Chapman,
Sgt Stanley Hextall,
Sgt Frederick John Keeler,
Sgt Arthur Charles May.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Schiefbahn: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1942 at 0325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
Z8490
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Schiefbahn
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2222LT on April 14 on an operation to Dortmund. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Schiefbahn, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Fitzpatrick Vane Winkle, pilot,
P/O Andrew Downie, observer,
Sgt Jean Jaques Gabriel Hall, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Strang, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth William Barker, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Budberg: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0207 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5525
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Budberg
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2208LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. Approaching Duisburg, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Budberg. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Wilfred Morgan Protheroe, pilot,
P/O Graham Peter Elliott, pilot,
Sgt Colin Raymond Harper, navigator,
Sgt Frank Swinburn, wireless operator,
Sgt Ralph Harry Crews, wireless operator,
Sgt William Macthett Mahaffy, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Cologne

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0102 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5358
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Cologne
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2212LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. Over Cologne, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the city center. All five crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O P. D. McMillan,
P/O W. H. J. Griffiths,
Sgt M. F. Mulvey,
Sgt S. F. G. Clayton,
Sgt V. D. McKernan.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Ostend: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5482
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Ostend
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2201LT to drop leaflets in the region of Lille. Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some 8 km off Ostend. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Walter David Amos, pilot,
Sgt Ian Mactaggat Mackirdy, observer,
Sgt Douglas Harold Till, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Basil Edwin Whitbread, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Thomas Anthony Frederick Davies, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Ohlendorf: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1942 at 0104 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
Z8511
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Ohlendorf
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2205LT on April 8 on an operation to Hamburg. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Ohlendorf, south of Hamburg. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Henry Wisher, pilot,
F/O Harold Leslie Croydon, navigator,
Sgt Roy Staley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt James William Cornthwaite, air gunner,
Sgt Edward Clement Bratt, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near RAF Driffield: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8674
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Church Fenton - Church Fenton
Location:
Driffield AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton on a night training solo flight. While flying at an altitude of 5,500 feet, he lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in the vicinity of RAF Driffield. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Harry James Beck, pilot.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Driffield: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1942 at 0250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5431
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Driffield AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 1934LT on March 9 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, it crashed upon landing and was destroyed. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured.
Crew:
F/Lt George Gordon Duff, pilot, †
Sgt Colin Albert Cornwell, pilot, †
P/O Douglas Albert Edward Clarke, observer, †
Sgt Harry James Evans, wireless operator, †
Sgt Leslie James Caldwell, wireless operator, †
Sgt Eric William Clark, air gunner.
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