Petten | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While flying over the North Sea, the four engine aircraft collided in unknown circumstances with another USAAF B-17, went out of control and crashed into the sea some 15 km off Petten. All 10 occupants were killed. The other aircraft was able to land safely.
Crew (457th BG):
Arnett Furr, pilot,
Sterling Book, copilot,
Joe Andrews, navigator,
Leon Plagianos, air bomber,
Don Brunsvold, flight engineer,
Dick Weaver, radio operator,
Warren Rankin, air gunner,
Glen Wisdom, air gunner,
Leroy Wetzel, air gunner. 1.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Petten: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

W4835

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Woodhall Spa - Woodhall Spa

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While approaching the Dutch coast, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea, 10 km southwest off Petten. All seven crew members were killed.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Petten: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 0015 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

T4166

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tempsford - Tempsford

MSN:

1859

YOM:

1940

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The airplane departed RAF Tempsford on Operation 'Watercress', the first of a series of operations involving the dropping of Dutch agents, code named 'Nordpol Spiel' by the British and England Spiel by the Dutch. The passenger, a Dutch agent (Lt A. A. Baatsen) was parachuted some 30 km north from Zwolle and was almost immediately captured by the German. Shortly after midnight, while cruising along the Dutch coast, the airplane was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed about 500 metres offshore. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Charles Evans,
P/O Robert William Franklin,
Sgt Kenneth Hailstone,
F/Sgt John Thompson,
P/O Stanley Widdup,
Sgt George Robert Wood.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Petten: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1941 at 2146 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

Z6841

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse

MSN:

2201

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1656LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base in the evening, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 1,5 km west of Petten. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Melville John Hyland Hunt, pilot,
Sgt Ian Allan,
Sgt Eric Frank Elkanah Hodges,
Sgt Reginald Alfred Johnson,
W/O John Joseph Lynch.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Petten: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1941 at 0411 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1609

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 2359LT on June 24 on an operation to Emden. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 10 km southwest of Petten. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Judson Barton,
Sgt John Charles Eric Black,
Sgt Godfrey Allenby Douglas Cotton,
P/O John Dodds-Forrest,
Sgt George Thomas Hunt,
Sgt Godfrey Tegid Jones.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.