Dungeness | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While approaching the British coast on a flight from Rotterdam to Southend, the crew was informed by ATC that a landing at Southend was impossible due to foggy conditions and was rerouted to Lydd Airport. On final, the crew was forced to make a go around because he was unable to locate the runway. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land at Lydd was also abandoned. While flying vertical to the Dungeness beaches, both engines failed. The crew reduced his altitude and completed an emergency landing. The airplane slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. All seven occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Dungeness: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2234

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

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The airplane departed Manston Airport at 1929LT on an anti-shipping operation. It was hit by the German Flak and crashed 19 miles off Dungeness. The pilot and his observer were seen getting out of the sinking airplane, but despite an extensive search, no trace of the crew was ever found.
Crew:
Sgt John Francis Chell,
Sgt Clarence Hubert Deane,
Sgt George Derryck Watkinson.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Dornier DO.17Z-2 off Dungeness: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1940 at 1340 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.17

Operator:

Registration:

F1+??

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Pontoise - Pontoise

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The airplane departed Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airport to attack the RAF Kenley, Surrey. Approaching the target at low height, it was shot down by the pilot of a Hurricane and crashed into the sea off Dungeness. All five occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Leder, pilot,
Uffz Ulbrich,
Uffz A. Disch,
Uffz Rudolf,
Uffz H. Szybinski.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Dungeness

Date & Time: May 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4925

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

MSN:

9407

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 1615LT to attack German troops advancing to the northern French coast. After being hit by Flak, the crew decided to return to UK with one engine out. Approaching the British coast, the second engine failed and the pilot ditched the airplane about 10 km offshore. All three crew members were rescued about 90 minutes later.
Crew:
P/O J. A. Miller, pilot,
Sgt R. J. Saunders, observer,
LAC W. Stokell, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow II off Dungeness: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow

Operator:

Registration:

K6971

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Honington - Honington

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The crew was conducting a night training exercise on behalf of the 215th Squadron. While cruising over the Channel in poor weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea off Dungeness. SAR were performed by British and French Authorities during several days but no trace was ever found.
Crew:
P/O Roland Noah Haynes, pilot,
P/O Thomas Ian Stewart Munro, copilot,
F/O Douglas Aubrey Hamilton, observer,
LAC Charles Selby Lodge, gunner,
AC1 Trevor Prowse, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

It is believed that crew encountered bad weather conditions with turbulences and that the aircraft may have been struck by lightning.

Crash of a Boulton & Paul P.71A off Dungeness: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1936

Type of aircraft:

Boulton & Paul P.71

Operator:

Registration:

G-ACOX

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Croydon – Paris

MSN:

P.71/1

YOM:

1934

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The twin engine aircraft named 'Boadicea' departed Croydon on a mail flight to Paris-Le Bourget with two crew members on board. It crashed in unknown circumstances into The Channel off Dungeness, Kent. Both crew members were killed.
crew:
Cpt Alfred Cecil Thomas, pilot,
Harold Eugene Percival, wireless operator.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.30 off Dungeness: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1929 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.30

Operator:

Registration:

G-EBMT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Croydon – Paris – Basel – Zurich

MSN:

W.10/4

YOM:

1925

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Circumstances:

While overflying the Channel at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the right engine failed. The pilot attempted to return to England but some three miles off Dungeness, as he was unable to maintain a safe altitude, he ditched the aircraft. Both crew and four passengers escaped and were slightly injured while all seven other occupants were killed. The aircraft was named 'City of Ottawa'.
Crew:
Rudolf Paul David Brailli, pilot,
Nigel Robert Barnett, flight engineer.

Probable cause:

The right engine stopped following the failure of the fourth connecting rod due to fatigue.

Final Report: