Zone

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide near Edale

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1963
Registration:
G-ALBC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George – Birmingham
MSN:
6572
YOM:
1948
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a flight from Middleton St. George to Birmingham, and the crew of one pilot and one photographer planned to complete several photographic survey jobs en route. Shortly after sunset, when flying at 2,000 ft. a.m.s.l. at an estimated position five miles west of Sheffield and near high ground rising to 2,000 ft. a.m.s.l., the pilot decided that the fuel remaining was insufficient to reach Birmingham with the existing headwind of 40 knots. He established contact with Manchester Approach Control and was given permission to divert to Manchester Airport on a special VFR clearance "not above 3,500 ft. a.m.s.l. on a QNH of 1013 mbs., clear of all cloud, and in sight of the surface". Shortly after this, when on a north-westerly heading to intercept a QDM of 270°M to the 'ME' (Manchester) beacon, the pilot saw hill tops about four miles ahead and commenced climbing from 2,000 ft. to 3,500 ft. The pilot states that the aircraft entered cloud at 2,500 ft. and that, on reaching 2,700 ft., he noticed that the vertical speed indicator was showing a descent of 2,000 ft./min. He states that he applied full power and eased the nose up but, after this, he remembers nothing further until he regained consciousness lying on the ground, alongside the photographer in front of the wrecked aircraft.
Probable cause:
Examination at the scene of the accident showed that the aircraft had struck the ground, in a normal cruising attitude and at a low engine power setting, at a point 1,990 ft. a.m.s.l. An aftercast of the weather conditions showed that the cloud base over the hills at the time of the accident probably varied between 1,800 and 3,000 ft. a.m.s.l., the wind at 2,000 to 3,000 ft. was 240°/45-50 knots, and horizontal visibility was 1 1/2-3 n.m. with some turbulence over high ground. "Sigmet" warnings broadcast by Preston A.T.C.C, and in force at the time of the accident, gave warning that locally severe turbulence, up to FL 100 over high ground in the Preston FIR had been forecast. From the information available, however, it was not possible to determine whether significant downdrafts existed in the area where the crash occurred.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in Horam: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1950 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC615
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Middleton Saint George at 1845LT on a night navigation exercice. At 2137LT, the crew informed ground that the mission was uneventful until this time. Twenty-three minutes later, the aircraft went into a dive. At an altitude of 1,000 feet, it partially disintegrated and eventually crashed in a pasture. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S. J. Murdoch, pilot,
F/Lt W. A. Ryde, navigator,
F/Lt H. Seiman, navigator,
Sig A. E. Bazen.
Probable cause:
The aircraft broke in flight due to exceptional aerodynamic and other stresses.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Middleton Saint George: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC430
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
During an airshow in RAF Middleton Saint George, the crew was involved in a demonstration mission consisting of para-dropping a low height. On final approach, during the last segment, the airplane nosed down and crashed at runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the technique adopted by the crew to drop the paratroopers was wrong. After the lateral door was closed, it appears that the air flow along the rudder and the elevator changed due to the presence of the paratroopers. This caused the aircraft to adopt a wrong attitude and the response from the crew was inappropriate.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson T.21 in Exhall: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1949 at 0945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VV243
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Mepal
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising in VFR mode over the region of Coventry at an altitude of 4,500 feet, the Anson collided with a BEA C-47 registered G-AHCW and carrying four crew members and six passengers from Northolt to Glasgow. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Exhall, north of Coventry. All 14 occupants in both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of a midair collision. Since neither aircraft took any apparent avoiding action it must be concluded that the pilot of the Anson did not see the Dakota and that the pilots of the Dakota did not see the Anson. This must be attributed to failure on the part of the captain of each aircraft to ensure the maintenance of an effective lookout.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Dunkirk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
W1017
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George on an operation to Dunkirk. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed. Four crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Cant Morris, pilot, †
Sgt Gerald Anthony Simpson, pilot, †
P/O William Alexander Trickett, navigator,
Sgt John Potts, wireless operator, †
P/O W. A. Shiells, wireless operator,
Sgt J. W. Brown, air gunner,
F/Sgt George Sanderson, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Gelsenkirchen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0208 LT
Operator:
Registration:
R9487
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2200LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. Approaching Gelsenkirchen, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the city. Six crew members were killed while the observer became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Keith Francis Lloyd-Jones, pilot, †
F/O William Culmsee, pilot, †
P/O R. Fairclough, observer,
Sgt Harvey Ernest Hothersall, wireless operator, †
Sgt Philip Lawrence Wheeldon, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Richard William Albert Hawksworth, air gunner, †
Sgt Wallace Alfred Richard Moule, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Humanby

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0030 LT
Operator:
Registration:
R9452
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2159LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. During the takeoff roll, the airplane collided with a dispersal platform, losing part of the undercarriage. The pilot managed to keep control after jettisoning the bombs and using up fuel, the crew bailed out leaving the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in Hunmanby. All seven crew members parachuted to safety.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. N. Hobbs, pilot,
Sgt Butler, flight engineer,
Sgt Harold David Jones, navigator,
F/Sgt Rooney, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Hustler Charlesworth, wireless operator,
Sgt Roberts, air gunner,
Sgt R. Davidson, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Oer-Erkenschwick: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1942 at 2343 LT
Operator:
Registration:
R9484
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2102LT on an operation to Essen. While overflying Germany, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a field located in Oer-Erkenschwick, some 5 km northeast of Recklinghausen. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (76th Squadron):
F/Sgt Hewart Joseph Lambeth, pilot,
Sgt Richard Ktchen, pilot,
Sgt William Dennis Robert George, flight engineer,
P/O John Raymond Connolly, observer,
Sgt Murray Charles Fred Swain, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Sidney Frank Parker, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Charles Noel Reynolds, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at RAF Middleton St George

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1942 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V4139
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Middleton Saint George. On final approach, at an altitude of 600 feet, the airplane suffered a loss of engine power, stalled and crashed. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
S/L I. R. C. MacPherson,
P/O D. K. Hulme,
P/O A. E. Holt.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power on final approach.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Middleton St George

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1942 at 1100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L9611
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the airplane crashed almost immediately after takeoff from RAF Middleton St George. All crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt F. W. Anderson.