Squires Gate AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was engaged in a training exercise out from the RAF Squires Gate. While cruising along the Isle of Man coast, the airplane suffered an engine failure, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea off Port St Mary. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (3rd SGR):
F/O Julien Walter Lowndes Bruxner-Randall, pilot,
P/O Vernon Bramwell Dewhurst, pilot,
P/O Philip Arthur Goode, pilot,
AC2 Frank Mitchell Philp.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I off Herne Bay: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

V3540

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Prestwick - Squires Gate - Kidlington

MSN:

3028

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

The famous pilot Amy Johnson was completing a ferry flight from Prestwick to Kidlington to deliver the airplane. She departed Prestwick Airport on January 4 but was forced to divert to RAF Squires Gate near Blackpool due to poor weather conditions. She spent a night at Squires Gate, then took off on January 5 on a flight which should take some 90 minutes. Four and a half hours later, lost above a solid cloud layer and probably out of fuel, she baled out over the Thames Estuary. Her parachute and falling aircraft were sighted by the ships in a convoy and a gallant attempt was made to save her by the captain of a Royal Navy escort ship who dived into the freezing water to rescue her. He died later from exposure. Tragically, this effort was to no avail and Amy was drowned. Her body was never recovered.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth at RAF Squires Gate

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1940

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Registration:

X5111

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Silloth - Squires Gate

MSN:

1838

YOM:

1931

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Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was convoying the aircraft from RAF Silloth to RAF Squires Gate. In windy weather, the aircraft crashed upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. The pilot was unhurt.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Bispham

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

N5385

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Squires Gate - Blackpool

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Circumstances:

While on an observation flight, the crew encountered unknown technical problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing on a beach located in Bispham, north of Blackpool. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while both crew members were uninjured.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I on Mt Snaefell: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1940 at 1125 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P1260

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Squires Gate - Squires Gate

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Upper Heyford on a navigation exercice. The airplane landed at RAF Squires Gate then continued over the Irish Sea. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the pilot became lost. While cruising over the Isle of Man, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Snaefell (2,036 feet high) located 12 km north of Douglas. A crewman was seriously injured but was able to walk away in the snow for two hours before finding help. All three other occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O Horace Miers MacGregor, pilot, †
Sgt Robert James Bailey, navigator, †
Sgt Thomas Owen Dennis, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Cpl Ted Brightmore, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.