Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B2 in Mautby: 9 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 24, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
RE373
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training sortie from RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire. While cruising northwest of Great Yarmouth, the crew encountered very poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and heavy turbulence. The aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Mautby. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (97th Squadron):
F/Lt Stanley Frederick Whitlock, pilot,
F/Lt Jack Anthony Guest, pilot,
F/Lt John George Cook, navigator,
F/Lt Ronald Vernon Havard, navigator and bomb aimer,
Albert Wattleworth, signaler,
Vincent Orville Woods, air gunner,
William Allison, flight engineer,
Roy Andrew Trundle, air gunner,
LAC Denis Frederick Cummings.
Crew (97th Squadron):
F/Lt Stanley Frederick Whitlock, pilot,
F/Lt Jack Anthony Guest, pilot,
F/Lt John George Cook, navigator,
F/Lt Ronald Vernon Havard, navigator and bomb aimer,
Albert Wattleworth, signaler,
Vincent Orville Woods, air gunner,
William Allison, flight engineer,
Roy Andrew Trundle, air gunner,
LAC Denis Frederick Cummings.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control was caused by heavy turbulence encountered while flying in thunderstorm activity but evidence was inconclusive.
