Leeming AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was returning to RAF Leeming following a reconnaissance mission. After landing, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and collided with military houses. All five crew evacuated safely while three people on the ground were killed.
Crew (77th Squadron):
P/O Peter Ernest Eldridge, pilot,
S/Lt Peter Owen Williams, pilot,
Sgt Victor Charles Cowley, observer,
Sgt Frank Crawford, wireless operator,
Sgt Raymond Carter Dawson, air gunner.
Those killed on the ground were:
AC2 Arthur Bunclark Annis,
AC2 Henry Baird,
LAC Harold Hemsley.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Leeming

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1940 at 0453 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

P5094

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

MSN:

1802

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft departed RAF Leeming at 0006LT on an operation over Ostend, Belgium. On the return leg, while on a night approach, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance available due to the failure of the hydraulic system. It overran, collided with a fence and came to rest on the Great North Road, bursting into flames. The Captain was slightly injured.
Crew (10th Squadron):
P/O J. C. Cairns, pilot,
Sgt V. Snell, pilot,
P/O F. R. Goddard, observer,
Sgt R. E. Nicholson, wireless operator,
Sgt A. S. Shand, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Failure of the hydraulic system.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1940 at 0440 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

P4935

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

MSN:

1662

YOM:

1940

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2033LT on September 6 to bomb the Salzhot Oil Depot in Berlin. Last heard on w/t at 0440 by which time the crew had flown as far as 0340E. Despite an extensive air and sea search, no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found. It is possible that it crashed into the North Sea.
Crew:
P/O Dennis Joseph Arthur Stevens,
F/O Roy Haydn Thomas,
Sgt Ronald Hilton,
Sgt Brian Walter Neville,
Sgt Harold Victor Seed.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Nether Silton

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1940 at 0645 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

P4967

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

MSN:

1694

YOM:

1940

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Circumstances:

The aircraft departed RAF Leeming at 2026LT on September 3 on a bombing mission over Berlin. The following morning, while returning to its base, it ran low on fuel and crash landed, undercarriage still retracted, in a small field located at Hall Farm, in Nether Silton, North Yorkshire. All five crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (10th Squadron):
F/Lt Dennis Brendon Geoffrey Tomlinson, pilot,
P/O Kenneth Douglas Brant, pilot,
Sgt Wilfred Campbell "Sammy" Walters, observer,
Sgt Patrick Joseph Hughes, wireless operator,
Sgt Angus J. McIntosh, air gunner.
Source and photos:
http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/40/p4967.html

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Rijsbergen

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1940 at 0326 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

P4955

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

MSN:

1682

YOM:

1940

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2034LT on August 16 to attack the Zeiss works. It was hit by the German Flak over Jena and the crew sent a distress call at 0324LT. Two minutes later, the aircraft crash landed in a field located in Rijsbergen, about 8 km southwest from Breda. All five crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/O William Maxwell Nixon, pilot,
F/O Peter George Whitby, pilot,
Sgt Herbert Walter Bradley, navigator,
Sgt Ernest Richard Holmes, radio operator,
Sgt Alan Milburn Somerville, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Leeming

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1940 at 1515 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8692

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

After landing at RAF Leeming, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and collided with trees. Both crew members evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The crew forgot to lower the flaps for landing.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth in Middlesbrough

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1935

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Yorkshire Air Services

Registration:

G-AADI

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Leeming – Linthorpe

MSN:

970

YOM:

1929

Location:

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Circumstances:

Upon arrival in Middlesbrough, the aircraft was flying low when the pilot made a sharp turn. The airplane stalled and crashed on the Linthorpe Golf Course. Both occupants were injured, the passenger seriously.