Date & Time: May 4, 1941 at 0630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z6483
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
MSN:
1995
YOM:
1941
Location:
Leominster
Herefordshire
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 Middleton St George at 2045LT on May 3 on an operation to Cologne. The following morning, while returning to base, the crew encountered technical problems with the wireless system. As the airplane ran out of fuel, all five crew members bailed out and abandoned the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in Leominster. All five occupants were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt L. Hatcher,
Sgt Chandos,
Sgt H. B. Buttell,
Sgt T. K. Moodie,
Sgt T. Hall.
Probable cause:
Technical problems with the wireless system and fuel exhaustion.