Date & Time:
Mar 22, 1944 at 0055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax III
Registration:
LK930
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total hours on type:
11
Circumstances:
While cruising by night over Derbyshire, one of both left engines failed. The pilot was unable to maintain a safe altitude and instructed the crew to bail out. For unknown reason, only three crew were able to abandon the aircraft that crashed in flames in Palterton, nine km west of Chesterfield. Three crew members were killed:
Sergeant William Arthur Roland Andrew,
Sergeant Arley Carlisle Carl Starnes, air gunner,
Sergeant Russell Irvine Pym, flight engineer.
Sergeant William Arthur Roland Andrew,
Sergeant Arley Carlisle Carl Starnes, air gunner,
Sergeant Russell Irvine Pym, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.