Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF near Athens: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K7095
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
8048
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Engaged in an aerial combat at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a JU.88 and crashed northwest of Athens, bursting into flames. A crew was killed and a second was injured.
Crew:
S/L R. A. Milward, pilot,
Sgt John Crooks, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed 10A Electra near Preveza

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YU-SBD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1136
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Flying along the west coast of Greece on a flight from Belgrade, the twin engine aircraft was mistakenly shot down by a British ship in the harbor of Preveza. The crew was able to make an emergency landing near Preveza. All nine occupants evacuated safely and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by British fire.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 off Kastellorizo Island

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MM20452
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kattavia - Kattavia
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was on a reconnaissance mission when it was shot down by enemy fire. The pilot attempted to ditch the airplane that crashed into the sea one mile west of Kastellorizo Island. All five crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Lt Oscar Pegna +4.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Paramythia

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1379
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
8662
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Takeoff from Paramythia was abandoned after an engine failed. The crew raised the undercarriage to stop the airplane that was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Palaiochora: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N57
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight between Crete and the Saronic Gulf. Weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility became limited with storm activities. The crew got lost and when the airplane ran out of fuel, it crashed into the sea off Palaiochora. Two crew members were killed while a third was rescued.
Crew:
Cpt Nikolaos Toumpakaris, pilot, †
1st Lt Pantelis Linos, observer, †
Sgt Tsigka, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I off Alkyonides Islands: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1393
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tatoi - Tatoi
MSN:
8676
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Following an operation over Albania, the crew was returning to his base at Tatoi. Flying over the Gulf of Corinth, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility. The pilot ditched the airplane off the Alkyonides Islands. The pilot survived while both other occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O Richard George Charles Day, pilot,
F/O A. A. W. Nicholson, observer,
Sgt Anthony John Hollist, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at Tatoi AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1941 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4833
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tatoi - Tatoi
MSN:
8848
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Tatoi AFB on an operation over Albania. During the combat, the airplane was hit by enemy fire, causing the left engine to fail. While returning to base, on final, the left propeller detached and went through the cockpit, killing the pilot. The airplane crashed near the boundary fence of the airbase and was destroyed. Both other crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt Robert Addison Towgood, pilot, †
Sgt R. F. Somerville, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine and separation of the left propeller following enemy action.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/mg6e in Rhodos: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF+IW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6880
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere on the island of Rhodos. All four crew members and two Italian officers were killed. Nine other passengers were injured.
Crew:
Maj Helmut Frohne, pilot, †
Ofw Helmut Meister, †
Ofw Helmut Leder, †
Ofw Jakob Webernals. †

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Araxos

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L8501
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tatoi - Tatoi
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Tatoi AFB at 1035LT on an operation to Këlcyrë. It was attacked by enemy fire and the crew evacuated the area. Later, the airplane ran out of fuel and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Araxos. All three crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone off Preveza: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by the pilot of a British fighter and crashed into the sea off Preveza. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Domenico Bazzi, pilot,
Sgt Elisio Acuti, pilot,
Av Libero Mera, flight engineer,
Av Cosimo Buongiorno, radio operator,
Av Salvatore Di Salvo, air gunner.