Region
Europe

Crash of a Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 451 in Oreye: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1940 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 45 (451-459)
Operator:
Registration:
L-582
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
46
YOM:
1939
Location:
Oreye
Walloon Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a bombing mission of the Albert Canal. En route, it was shot down by ground fire and crashed in a field located near Oreye. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
S/Lt René Morel, pilot, †
S/Lt Lucien Jacquet, air gunner, †
Adj Natta, radio operator,
Adj/C Jean Moquelet, chief. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Montaigu: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1940 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L9175
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Montaigu
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham to attack bridges on the Albert Canal near Maastricht. En route, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Montaigu. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Gordon Reginald Grattan, pilot, †
Sgt T. Patterson, observer,
LAC Frederick John Allam, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Borlez

Date & Time: May 11, 1940 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L9459
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Poix-Croixrault - Poix-Croixrault
Location:
Borlez
Liège
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The bomber departed Poix-Croixrault AFB on a reconnaissance mission over Belgium. En route, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field located in Borlez. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/O Alistair D. Panton, pilot,
Sgt W. A. Christie, observer,
AC2 R. W. Bence, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Rosières: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 10, 1940 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Rosières
Walloon Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to the German invasion of Belgium. En route, the three engine aircraft was shot down by a French armored car, went out of control and crashed in a field. All three crewmen were killed.
Crew:
Oberfw Werner Jung,
Ogefr Josef Hatting,
Gefr Walter Pollmann.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Dornier Do.17 in Léglise: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.17
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Léglise
Luxembourg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by the pilot of a French fighter and crashed in a field located in Léglise. The pilot was killed and two other crewmen were injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a French fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in Sauvenière

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 408 Wellington IA
Operator:
Registration:
N3004
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Location:
Gembloux
Namur
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in the 'Nickel' mission to Hamburg and departed RAF Newmarket at 1713LT. While overflying Belgium, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing in Sauvenière, 3 km northeast of Gembloux. All six crew were rescued and later interned.
Crew (99th Squadron):
F/O O. L. Williams,
P/O R. A. G. Willis,
Sgt A. R. Mattick,
AC2 W. Cockburn,
AC2 C. G. Ashman,
P/O J. S. Trotter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Eynatten: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1940 at 0915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1410
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
MSN:
8693
YOM:
1939
Location:
Eynatten
Liège
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz on a reconnaissance mission over Germany. While cruising at an altitude of 7,000 metres, the airplane was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The pilot was able to evacuate the area and to fly to Belgium. Eventually, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing. At low height, the air gunner bailed out but the altitude was insufficient and he was killed. The airplane then collided with a power line and crashed in a meadows. The two crewmen who remained on board were seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O Charles Mervyn Patrick Kempster, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Leece Smith, navigator,
AC1 Peter Bothamley Harris, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Attacked by a German fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 in Torhout: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Registration:
5J+FA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Quakenbrück - Quakenbrück
Location:
Torhout
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a combat sortie from the Quakenbrück airfield in Lower Saxony. While flying over Belgium, the crew was attacked by few Curtiss Hawk 75 from the French First Squadron of the Fighter Group 1/4 based in Norrent-Fontes. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing but the aircraft crashed near Torhout. While the captain was injured, all three other crewmen were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by French fighters.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Waregem

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1148
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rosieres-en-Santerre - Rosieres-en-Santerre
MSN:
8431
YOM:
1938
Location:
Waregem
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a reconnaissance mission, the crew became lost and the pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in Waregem. All three occupants were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt A. W. Gillmore, pilot,
Sgt B. R. Turnnidge, observer,
AC1 T. J. Jervis, wireless operator and air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1939 at 0557 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AUA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Croydon - Brussels
MSN:
5815
YOM:
1937
Location:
Brussels
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Brussels-Haren Airport at night and in marginal weather conditions, at a height of about 50-60 metres, the three engine airplane lost altitude and descended to 10-20 metres when the pilot-in-command initiated a go around procedure. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located in Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident appeared to be attributable to an error of the pilot who made a go around when the aircraft was in the final landing phase, flaps out, and was already losing speed. The pilot's error was caused by an initial error of judgement, as he felt that he could land without facing the wind when he had taken a large margin of safety at high altitude, a margin required by the poor weather conditions and the lack of clearance from the aerodrome boundary in the direction of landing. The pilot did not appear to be concerned about the required landing direction indicated to him by the 'T' and the landing light location. His decision seems to have been dictated by the fear of missing the ground that he had had a hard enough time finding after a trip that was probably painful. In any event, the terminal services do not appear to be questionable as to the origin and consequences of the accident.
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