Exeter | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was taking part to the D-Day in Normandy and was flying back to his base in Exeter after dropping 17 paratroopers. While just flying over The Channel, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea some 10 miles north of Cherbourg. All four crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Branscombe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1942 at 1125 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P1226

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Exeter - Exeter

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Following repairs, the airplane departed Exeter Airfield on a local test flight prior to be delivered to RAF Scampton. While flying in foggy conditions, the airplane impact the slope of hilly terrain and crashed near Branscompe. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Derek Alfred Cook, pilot,
P/O Robert Emmett Manders, observer.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 near Exeter: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942 at 0700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Registration:

U5+IR

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Amsterdam - Amsterdam

MSN:

5334

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport on an operation to England. In the area of Exeter, it was shot down by the British Flak and crashed in Southwood Farm. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Rolf Güldenpfennig, pilot,
Uffz Gustav Sommer, observer,
Fw Hermann Drame, radio operator,
Gefr Rudolf Baron, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the British Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Exeter: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1282

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hemswell - Hemswell

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The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1719LT on an operation to Brest. It was attacked by a night-fighter while returning to base, and very badly damaged Shrapnel from one of the shells set fire to a flare which exploded inside the aircraft, blowing the astrodome from its mountings and destroying some of the fuselage fabric. The pilot tried to make an emergency landing at Exeter, but was baulked by another aircraft. Unable to maintain control, the Wellington crashed between Pinhoe and Clyst Honiton on the west side of the aerodrome. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Czesław Bialy, †
Cpl Stefan Niczewski, †
Sgt Zygmunt Sadurski, †
P/O Wojciech Veit, †
F/O H. Kracinski,
F/O J. Chomka.

Probable cause:

Crashed on approach after being attacked by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1941 at 1645 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

W5432

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield on a test flight. En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to divert to Exeter Airport where the bomber crashed on approach. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Mellor Rhodes, pilot,
P/O John Ross Robertson, pilot,
Sgt Matthew Ward Wright, observer,
Sgt Bernard Kenneth George Willmer, wireless operator,
Sgt Gordon Bannerman Dundas, wireless operator,
Sgt Victor Ernest Thomas Riddiford, air gunner.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc in Exeter

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1941 at 0130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

AX925

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Exeter - Exeter

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The airplane departed Exeter Airport on a mine laying operation but was forced to return earlier because GCI was unable to take control. On final approach at night, the pilot descended too low when the airplane collided with an embankment and crashed short of runway. The airplane was destroyed and both crew members were injured.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Topsham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1123

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Exeter - Exeter

MSN:

8406

YOM:

1938

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The pilot departed RAF Exeter on a solo training flight. While cruising south of Exeter, the airplane suffered an engine fire, entered a dive and crashed in Topsham. The pilot Sgt Frank Morton was killed.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84A Dragon in Saint Wenn

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1940

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon

Operator:

Registration:

AW170

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Saint Eval - Exeter

MSN:

6018

YOM:

1933

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En route from RAF St Eval to Exeter, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field in St Wenn, east of RAF St Mawgan. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
P/O Konrad Stembrowicz.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.42W in Tiverton

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.42

Operator:

Registration:

G-AAXD

Flight Phase:

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Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Paris - Exeter

MSN:

HP.42/6

YOM:

1930

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The aircraft was returning to Exeter after its crew dropped off Royal Air Force Command' staffs in Paris. While flying over Devon in marginal weather conditions, the crew was unable to locate the airport of Exeter nor to fix his position with certainty. Eventually, the captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing on the Tiverton Golf course when on final, the aircraft impacted two trees and crashed. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft named 'Horatius' was destroyed.