Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I in Suez: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1940 at 1055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L5821
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Heliopolis - Heliopolis
MSN:
SH.14
YOM:
1939
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew departed Heliopolis on a turret practice for air gunners. While flying in the vicinity of Suez and while completing a turn, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Francis Adrian Walton, pilot,
F/O Peter Aveline Slaney Baker, pilot,
AC2 Robert Coulson, wireless operator,
Sgt John Ogilvie Paul, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O Harold Herbert Jordain Hobday, air gunner,
P/O John Cottrell Leonard Hanmer-Strudwick, air gunner,
P/O William Edward Laceby, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-N2 Super Electra in Nairobi: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AX688
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Germiston – Dodoma – Nairobi – Heliopolis
MSN:
1419
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cross continent flight from Germiston, South Africa, to Heliopolis, Egypt, with intermediate stops in Dodoma, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. The crew attempted to take off in poor weather conditions (strong winds and heavy rain falls). Shortly after take off from Nairobi-Wilson Airport, while climbing to a height of some 500 feet, the twin engine aircraft rolled to the left, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a huge explosion. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
S/L Frank Mackenzie Loudon, pilot,
F/L Harry George Ernest Davis, pilot.
Passengers:
Cpl Dennis Montague Carrington Cotton,
Lt John Guthrie Kneen,
Cpt Arthur Desmond Knox-Perkins,
Cptn Jan Jozua Van Nouhuys.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Heliopolis

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7976
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Heliopolis - Heliopolis
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off for unknown reasons. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I in Tobruk: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L5849
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Heliopolis - Heliopolis
MSN:
SH.42
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Heliopolis on a mission over Tobruk. Approaching the target area at night, it crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all five crew members.

Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I near Marsa Matruh: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L5815
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Tobrouk – Héliopolis
MSN:
SH.8
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Following a supply mission in Tobruk, the aircraft was returning to Heliopolis. While cruising at night at low height, it impacted a cliff and crashed about 40 km south of Mersa Matruh. Two crew members were injured and three others were killed.
Crew (216th Squadron):
P/O Ralph Paul Joseph Osborne, pilot, †
S/L R. G. Taylor, pilot, †
LAC Kenneth Edward Webber, †
LAC George Niven,
Cpl A. C. Hazlitt.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I off Alexandria: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L5848
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tobruk - Heliopolis
MSN:
SH.41
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane was returning to Heliopolis following a supply mission in Tobruk. While cruising along the shore at night, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea. One body was recovered from sea but not trace from the four other crew members was ever found.
Crew:
P/O Thomas Albert Grundy, pilot,
Sgt John George Cowlishaw,
LAC Matthew Hetherington Winship,
LAC Peter Douglas Snowden,
LAC Thomas Murray.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Heliopolis

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L8442
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Heliopolis - Heliopolis
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Heliopolis Airport, a tyre burst. After takeoff, the pilot decided to return for a safe landing. After touchdown, the airplane started to swerve and went out of control. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest, bursting into flames. All three crew members were uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
F/Lt John Walter Dallamore +2.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Heliopolis

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6630
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Heliopolis - Heliopolis
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training mission at Heliopolis Airport. Upon landing, an undercarriage collapsed and the airplane came to rest. Both crew members were uninjured.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed upon landing.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Heliopolis

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1527
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Heliopolis - Heliopolis
MSN:
8810
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Heliopolis Airport, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane sank on its belly and came to rest. All three crew members evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the undercarriage were down but not locked.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73 in Heliopolis

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-ATRI
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Benghazi – Héliopolis
MSN:
30018
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Heliopolis, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed. There were no casualties but two crew members were seriously injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on approach.