Date & Time:
Dec 4, 1940 at 0650 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
T4205
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
1878
YOM:
1940
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 Topcliffe at 1632LT on December 3 on an operation to Mannheim. The following morning, while on final approach to RAF Topcliffe, the aircraft ran out of fuel, crash landed, veered off runway and came to rest, bursting into flames. All five crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. Several bomb exploded as well.
Crew (77th Squadron):
Sgt N. C. Bizley, pilot,
P/O Leonard Edward Pearson, pilot,
Sgt K. R. Sewell, observer,
Sgt James William Middleton, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt G. Engel, wireless operator and air gunner.
Crew (77th Squadron):
Sgt N. C. Bizley, pilot,
P/O Leonard Edward Pearson, pilot,
Sgt K. R. Sewell, observer,
Sgt James William Middleton, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt G. Engel, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.
