Date & Time: Sep 3, 1940 at 0545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
N1459
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
MSN:
1599
YOM:
1939
Location:
Harwich
Essex
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1950LT on September 2 on a raid over Genova. The following morning, while returning to its base, it ran out of fuel and was ditched into the North Sea some 15 miles off Harwich, Essex. The crew took to their dinghy and while drifting off Aldeburgh, Suffolk, were rescued by HMS Pintail.
Crew:
P/O P. C. Elliott,
F/Sgt D. Moore,
Sgt M. R. Harvey,
Sgt J. F. Craig,
Sgt R. E. Connor.
Probable cause:
Aircraft ditched into the sea due to fuel exhaustion.