Date & Time:
Aug 9, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1546
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Risalpur - Risalpur
MSN:
8829
YOM:
1939
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Risalpur, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, on a mission over India. While overflying the State of Bihar, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with storm. The airplane was struck by lightning and caught fire. Two crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in Kutumba. All three other occupants were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Burton Ankers, †
Cpl Robert Samuel Gilbert, †
AC1 Arthur Reginald Harris, †
AC2 Richard Wallace Bloss,
Mr. Cecil Rendle Tapper.
Crew:
W/Cdr Burton Ankers, †
Cpl Robert Samuel Gilbert, †
AC1 Arthur Reginald Harris, †
AC2 Richard Wallace Bloss,
Mr. Cecil Rendle Tapper.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire and loss of control after the aircraft was struck by lightning.
