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 in Pippensen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0148 LT
Operator:
Registration:
R9485
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
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:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2303LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Pippensen. Three crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Barr, flight engineer, †
P/O Arthur Stuart Hawkins, observer, †
Sgt Douglas Lester Osborne, wireless operator, †
Sgt Eric James Butt,
Sgt Charles Morris Muir,
Sgt Reginald George William Woollard,
Sgt E. C. Sudbury.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
W1184
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 2253LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have been shot down by a German fighter and to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Guy Andre Rene Bissonnette,
Sgt Wili Iam Kenneth Daniel,
Sgt Lionel George Dowling,
Sgt David Horgan,
F/O Charles Mitchener,
Sgt Walter John Taylor,
Sgt Ernest Arthur Tweedale.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Yarm: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1942 at 0145 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W7670
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:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George on an operation to Vegesack. En route to Germany, it suffered engine trouble so the crew decided to return to base. While approaching the base, one of the engine caught fire. The captain ordered his crew to bail out so five crewmen parachuted to safety. The pilot and the flight engineer attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in Yarm, east of RAF Middleton St George, bursting into flames. Both crewmen were killed.
Crew:
W/O Wesley Leonard Belous, pilot, †
Sgt Fred Hebron, flight engineer, †
P/O Wilfred George Michael Rothschild, observer,
P/O Atkinson, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Charles Bacon, wireless operator,
Sgt Jacobus Petrus Van Lelyveld, air gunner,
Sgt Jack Davey, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Docking: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
W1062
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2345LT on June 29 on an operation to Bremen. At 0240LT, while flying 25 km north of Schiermonnikoog Island in the Netherlands, it was badly shot about by a German fighter. The crew was able to return to England but the airplane crashed on landing at RAF Docking and was destroyed by a post crash fire. All crew member were injured and a wireless operator later died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
F/Lt Woodroffe,
Sgt David,
F/Lt L. Geddes,
P/O LeBeau,
F/Sgt V. Fulton,
Sgt Edwin Clifford Summerfield, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Badly shot about by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Middleton St George: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1942 at 1545 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W7665
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Middleton St Geroge. The airplane crashed while attempting to land on three engines, the port outer being feathered. The airplane was destroyed and all five crew members were injured. The following day, the pilot died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
F/Sgt Sidney Tackley, pilot, †
Sgt H. W. Owen,
Sgt Wilson,
Sgt Morgan,
Ac1 Robertson.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Hindeloopen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1942 at 0042 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W1067
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2300LT on June 25 on an operation to Bremen. Passing over the IJsselmeer, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed off Hindeloopen. Two crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
F/O John Arthur Whittingham, pilot, †
P/O George Gibson, navigator,
Sgt Douglas Brown Donaldson, wireless operator,
Sgt Anthony George Springthorpe, flight engineer,
Sgt Reginald Alfred Brown, wireless operator,
Sgt Harold Dronfield, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.