Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Stavanger: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1940 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P9284
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Marham at 1800LT for an operation to airport of Stavanger-Sola, Norway. While approaching the target area, the bomber was shot down either by Flak or fighters and crashed in a huge explosion. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (115th Squadron):
P/O Frederick Edward Barber, pilot,
P/O David Alexander Rankin, pilot,
Sgt Alan Sydney Pearce, observer,
Sgt Geoffrey William James Juby,
LAC Lionel Allen Westcott,
P/O Peter Edward Tucker Bull, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P9269
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed RAF Marham at 1215LT on a reconnaissance mission to search enemy shipping off the Norwegian coast. The bomber was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the North Sea. All six occupants were killed.
Crew (38th Squadron):
S/L M. Nolan,
F/O D. C. Maybury,
Sgt F. F. Berfick,
LAC M. F. Bedford,
AC2 G. Flynn,
P/O G. W. Brundish.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in RAF Marham

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1940 at 2010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2950
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from RAF Marham, while climbing, the pilot informed ATC about engine problems and attempted to make an emergency landing. The aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a field. All five crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was wrecked.
Crew (115th Squadron):
F/S G. A. Powell 4.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in Houghton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1940 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2987
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham – Brooklands (Weybridge)
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While flying in turbulence, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in an open field located in Houghton, south of the RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire. Three crew were killed while three others were seriously injured. Three weeks later, on 14APR1940, one of the survivors died from his severe injuries. The crew was performing a ferry flight to the Vickers Armstrong facility in Brooklands (Weybridge) Airport as the aircraft was subject to modifications.
Crew (115th Squadron):
F/O B. Statham,
F/O B. V. Fanshawe, †
AC1 D. H. Lynch, †
AC2 G. T. Rose, †
Sgt Sinclair,
AC1 Carter.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA at RAF Marham

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1940 at 1940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2948
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Tewkesbury
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training flight. After takeoff, the aircraft failed to climb properly, impacted a tree located 1,500 metres past the runway end, stalled and crashed in a field. All three crewmen were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew (115th Squadron):
F/O E. G. Scott +2.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in Melton Constable

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1940 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P2526
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a reconnaissance mission over the North Sea, the crew was returning to RAF Marham when he lost his orientation. He tried to obtain bearings from Digby but the response was slow in coming and the aircraft ran out of fuel. The captain attempted an emergency landing in a field located in Melton Constable. A crew was injured and five others were unhurt.
Crew (38th Squadron):
F/L M. Nolan,
Sgt Cross,
Sgt Cousens,
LAC Parker,
LAC Clifton,
LAC Webb.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing due to a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1940 at 0306 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2951
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2325LT on 20 February to search for enemy shipping. Last contact at 0306LT when it crashed in unknown circumstances into the North Sea. No trace was ever found.
Crew (38th Squadron):
F/O Noel Hawxby, pilot,
LAC Thomas Frederick Johnson,
LAC Frederick Glynn Jones,
LAC Arthur Rex Chapman,
Sgt Leslie Charles Cond,
Sgt Anthony Hill.

Crash of a Vickers 290 Wellington I in Boughton: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1939 at 1535 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4239
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Barton Bendish – Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
On a ferry flight to Barton Bendish RLG, the crew decided to complete some training maneuvers. The pilot reduced his altitude and performed some sharp turns at low level when the aircraft hit a tree and crashed in a field located in Marks Farm, some 7 km southwest of RAF Marham. All seven crewmen were killed.
Crew (38th Squadron):
Sgt Edward Thomas Summers,
LAC David George,
AC1 John Clarence Bailey,
AC1 William Watson,
AC2 William Henry Dye,
AC2 Alan Hardman,
AC2 George Henry Charles Newman.
Probable cause:
Poor judgment on part of the pilot-in-command.

Crash of a Vickers 290 Wellington I at RAF Marham

Date & Time: May 15, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4243
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training exercise at RAF Marham. While practicing a shallow dive attack on the airfield, an engine failed and caught fire. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a nearby field when the aircraft collided with a hedge and crashed, bursting into flames. All five crew members escaped uninjured and the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow II in Halewood

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1938 at 1825 LT
Operator:
Registration:
K7019
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Freugh - Marham
MSN:
435062/35
YOM:
1937
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
157
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF West Freugh at 1710LT for Marham via Ayr, Blackpool, Ternhill and Cheltenham. While flying 12 km northeast of Liverpool at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the left engine failed. The captain decided to divert to RAF Sealand on one engine but the aircraft was losing altitude. Due to severe vibrations, he ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft. He continued the flight alone but was unable to reach RAF Sealand. He eventually made an emergency landing in a field near Halewood, some 5 km northeast of Speke, Liverpool. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the captain and all four other crew members survived.
Probable cause:
Failure of the 9th connecting rod on the left engine. Built in 1937, the aircraft totalized 157 flying hours. The left engine has 164 flying hours.