Date & Time:
Mar 13, 1941 at 1625 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
BJ500
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Debden - Ford
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the aircraft stalled from the tail, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field located in Wimbish, 3 km from the airfield, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed. The crew was performing a flight to RAF Ford to pick up and ferry another Havoc back to RAF Debden.
F/Lt Geoffrey Allard, pilot,
P/O William Henry Hodgson,
P/O Francis Richard Walker-Smith, pilot.
F/Lt Geoffrey Allard, pilot,
P/O William Henry Hodgson,
P/O Francis Richard Walker-Smith, pilot.
Probable cause:
During initial climb, a gun inspection panel became loose and flew back, wrapping itself around the fin.
