Crash of a Polikarpov S-2 in Sevan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1941 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-K398
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sevan - Yerevan
MSN:
17121
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
205
Circumstances:
After dropping an engineer at Sevan Airfield, the pilot took off on a return leg to Yerevan. Shortly after liftoff, while climbing to a height of 25-35 metres, the airplane entered a sharp turn to the left then nosed down and crashed. The pilot, sole on board, died 4 hours later from injuries sustained.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed to follow the flight instructions and published procedures.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-9 in Tula

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L118
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Baku
MSN:
114
YOM:
1931
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a ferry flight from Moscow to Tula, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Tula Airport. After touchdown, the three engine airplane veered off runway, lost its left engine and came to rest. The crew was uninjured.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Coningsby

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1941 at 1550 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AD763
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ternhill - Coningsby
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Ternhill at 1505LT to ferry the airplane to RAF Coningsby where it crashed upon landing at 1550LT. Both crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
P/O W. A. Brown,
Sgt Stevens.

Crash of a Tupolev G-1 near Alga

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ashkhabad – Tashkent – Shalkar – Aktyoubinsk – Moscow
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Ashkhabad on a ferry flight to Moscow. He made a stop in Tashkent to pick up a passenger without prior permission. At Shalkar Airport, he was informed about the poor weather conditions en route to Aktyubinsk but decided to takeoff, again, without authorization. About an hour and 45 minutes into the flight, while flying in clouds, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a prairie located 3 km from Alga Station, about 45 km southeast from Aktyubinsk. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The decision of the pilot to takeoff without permission, knowing that weather conditions en route were unfavorable. It was also reported that the airplane was not equipped with any navigational instruments or any equipment that could allow the pilot to flight under IMC conditions.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth at RAF Squires Gate

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X5111
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Silloth - Squires Gate
MSN:
1838
YOM:
1931
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was convoying the aircraft from RAF Silloth to RAF Squires Gate. In windy weather, the aircraft crashed upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. The pilot was unhurt.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Bristol: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4893
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Boscombe Down - Bristol
MSN:
8908
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1750
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Boscombe Down on a solo ferry flight to Bristol-Filton Airport. On final approach, the airplane stalled and crashed, killing the pilot P/O George Edward Stansbury.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in Houghton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1940 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2987
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham – Brooklands (Weybridge)
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While flying in turbulence, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in an open field located in Houghton, south of the RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire. Three crew were killed while three others were seriously injured. Three weeks later, on 14APR1940, one of the survivors died from his severe injuries. The crew was performing a ferry flight to the Vickers Armstrong facility in Brooklands (Weybridge) Airport as the aircraft was subject to modifications.
Crew (115th Squadron):
F/O B. Statham,
F/O B. V. Fanshawe, †
AC1 D. H. Lynch, †
AC2 G. T. Rose, †
Sgt Sinclair,
AC1 Carter.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in Brooklands: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3017
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Brooklands – Honington
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was returning to RAF Honington having undergone modification to the tank armor plating at Vickers Armstrong, Weybridge. It departed RAF Brooklands-Weybridge at 1435LT but while climbing, it went out of control and crashed in a field five minutes later, bursting into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (9th Squadron):
F/O William John MacRae, pilot,
F/Lt Edward Reginald Berrill, copilot,
Sgt Cornelius Thomas Murphy, observer,
Cpl Roy Jackson, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC1 Leonard Leopold James Mackenzie, flight engineer.

Crash of Polikarpov SP in Dolgii Buerak: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1939 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-K200
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ganyushkino – Vladimirovka – Saratov
MSN:
2533
YOM:
1931
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
733
Circumstances:
On December 1st, the airplane departed Saratov with the same crew to deliver mouse for a laboratory based in Ganyushkino, south Kazakhstan. The next day, the pilot departed Ganyushkino at 0830LT on the return trip to Saratov with an intermediate stop in Vladimirovka. Approaching Saratov, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog and passed over the airfield without any visual contact with the ground. He then returned to the north when he encountered snow falls. The airplane entered a right turn the lost height and crashed in a pasture located 1,5 km west of the village of Dolgii Buerak, about 7,5 km north-east of Saratov Airport. The airplane was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the followings:
- The pilot decided to perform the flight despite he was informed prior to departure about the poor weather conditions at destination;
- The pilot continues the approach to Saratov Airport in below-minima weather conditions;
- Poor flight preparation;
- Lack of discipline on part of the pilot.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.42W in Tiverton

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AAXD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris - Exeter
MSN:
HP.42/6
YOM:
1930
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was returning to Exeter after its crew dropped off Royal Air Force Command' staffs in Paris. While flying over Devon in marginal weather conditions, the crew was unable to locate the airport of Exeter nor to fix his position with certainty. Eventually, the captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing on the Tiverton Golf course when on final, the aircraft impacted two trees and crashed. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft named 'Horatius' was destroyed.