Region
Europe

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Heligoland Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8759
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Watton - Watton
Location:
Heligoland Island
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Heligoland Island on a reconnaissance mission, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt G. H. Tice,
Sgt J. H. Wadmore,
LAC F. Birch.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Ludwigslust: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Ludwigslust
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Ludwigslust, killing all five crew members.
Crew:
FF Fw Schreiber,
FF Fw Haüsler,
FF Uffz Dallmeier,
Bf Ogefr Pantz,
Bw Gefr Spiess.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P-2 in Diepholz: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1940 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Registration:
5J+HN
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Diepholz - Diepholz
MSN:
1552
YOM:
1936
Location:
Diepholz
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Six minutes after takeoff from Diepholz Airport, while climbing at night, the airplane went out of control and crashed near the airport. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Johann Müller, pilot,
Oblt Max Graf Draganski, observer,
Fw Friedrich Züfle, radio operator,
Uffz Fritz Steinecke, flight engineer.

Crash of a Dornier Do.17Z off Deep: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.17
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
2790
Location:
Deep
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea in the Ems estuary, some 400 metres offshore. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Georg Lindauer,
Lt Hans Matthes,
Uffz Ernst Hahsedentaufel,
Ogefr Włoczyk.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a wrong manipulation on part of the pilot-in-command.

Crash of a Junkers W.34 in Kiel: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1940 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers W.34
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4026
YOM:
1939
Location:
Kiel-Holtenau
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff, at a height of 20 metres, the airplane stalled and crashed. All four occupants were killed. It was reported that the takeoff procedure was initiated with a cold engine.
Crew:
FF Ofw Murswiek,
Uffz Emil Podstufka,
Uffz Niklar,
Bf Ogefr Karl Rudolf Holz.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Duisburg: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1940 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1280
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rosières-en-Santerre - Rosières-en-Santerre
MSN:
8563
YOM:
1938
Location:
Duisburg
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While on a reconnaissance mission over Germany, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed south of Duisburg. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Noel O'Reilly-Blackwood, pilot,
Sg Douglas James Bendall, observer,
AC2 John Raymond Hunter, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H in Osnabrück

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Osnabrück
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed and was damaged beyond repair. All four crew members evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111E in Ribnitz: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Registration:
WL-AFPB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ribnitz - Ribnitz
MSN:
1280
YOM:
1936
Location:
Ribnitz-Pütnitz
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near Ribnitz-Pütnitz Airport. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
FF Uffz Klawitter,
B Uffz Erich Kermbach,
Bf Flg Gieskammer,
Bw Flg Schirmer.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Wangerooge: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8779
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Wangerooge Island
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Wattisham on a reconnaissance mission over Wilhelmshaven. While approaching the German coast, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 10 km off Wangerooge Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Keith Laxton, pilot,
LAC Truscott Victor Lewis,
Sgt William Anderson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H in Spöck: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1939 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Spöck
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
About an hour into the flight, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Spöck. Two crewmen were killed while a third was injured. Those killed were Uffz Kurt Eugen Keller and Ogfr Ewald Otto.
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