Ostend | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Honington in the evening of December 7 on an operation to Düsseldorf. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Stene near Ostend Airport. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Desmond Geoffrey Stanley,
Sgt Robert Coates Parker,
Sgt John James Coulsham Nanson,
Sgt Anthony Arthur Rogers,
Sgt Joseph Alan Grocott,
Sgt William Humphrey Pontin.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Ostend: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

X3050

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Scampton – Scampton

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The airplane departed RAF Scampton to attack aerodromes. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Ostend. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Stuart Gordon Greeves,
Sgt Leslie Young,
Sgt Edward Francis Parish,
Sgt Malcolm Haydn Davies.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Ostend: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

T2463

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 2115 on September 20 on operation 'Invasion Ports'. Over Ostend, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing all six crew members.
Crew:
P/O Michael Ryves Braun, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Joseph Green, pilot,
Sgt Lindsay Douglas Anderson, observer,
Sgt Joseph Edward McCormick, observer,
Sgt Norman MacDonald, wireless operator,
Sgt Lewis Alan White, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Ostend: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1940 at 0220 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

L7808

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Marham - Marham

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Marham in the evening of September 11 on an operation to Ostend. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near the central railway station. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Richard Guy Allen, pilot,
P/O Charles Theodore Dufton, pilot,
Sgt Eric James, observer,
Sgt James Ward Johnstone, wireless operator,
Sgt Charles Ernest Matthews, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick Walter Noakes, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Ostend: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

L4097

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Lindholme - Lindholme

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1956LT on an operation to Ostend. Approaching the target, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Ostend. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/L Robert James Reed,
P/O Peter William Roylance,
Sgt Reginald Halls,
Sgt William Aubrey Johnson.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Ostend: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

L7793

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

Location:

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The crew was performing a bombing mission over Courtrai and Brussels when he was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in an open field near Ostend Airport and was damaged beyond repair. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew (37th Squadron):
P/O John Stewart Cameron, †
S/L Arthur Roger Glencross, †
Sgt Raymond Cranmer Parkhouse, †
LAC Dear,
AC1 Stanhope.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mge in Ostend: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1937 at 1530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

OO-AUB

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Munich – Frankfurt – Brussels – London

MSN:

5827

YOM:

1937

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While descending to Brussels, the crew encountered foggy conditions and decided to divert to Ostend where two other passengers were supposed to embark. Upon arrival, the crew completed two circuits over the airport of Ostend before initiating the final approach. Weather conditions were poor with limited visibility due to fog. On final, at a height of some 20 metres, the aircraft hit with its right wing the chimney of the 'Briqueterie Nationale' located in Stene. The aircraft stalled and crashed upside down, bursting into flames. All 11 occupants were killed, among them Grand Ducal and Duchess of Hesse and two of their children.
Crew:
Antoine Lambotte, pilot,
Maurice Courtois, radio navigator,
Ivan Lansmans, engineer.
Passengers:
Georges-Donatus von Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand-Ducal of Hesse,
Cécile de Grèce, Grand Duchess of Hesse,
Éléonore von Solms-Hohensolms-Lich,
Louis von Hesse-Darmstadt,
Alexander von Hesse-Darmstadt,
Joachim Riedesel zu Eisenbach,
Arthur Martens,
Lina Hahn.

Probable cause:

An airport employee was blamed for not adequately assisting the pilot down in the conditions of poor visibility, even though rockets had been fired from the ground in an attempt to do so.

Crash of a Breguet 19 in Ostend

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1936

Type of aircraft:

Breguet 19

Operator:

Registration:

B-42

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

On approach to Ostend-Stene Airport, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. The airplane crash landed in a field, collided with a ditch and came to rest. Both occupants evacuated safely.