Military

Survivors:

Site:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

MSN:

1504

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

Crashed for unknown reasons at Benghazi Airport. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Fw Martin Bär, pilot, †
Uffz Wolfgang Wetzel, observer,
Ogefr Karl Bartuneck, radio operator,
Uffz Herbert Bier, air gunner. †

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Alconbury

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1942 at 1400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

X3333

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Feltwell - Alconbury

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane was ferried from RAF Feltwell to RAF Alconbury where the pilot made an emergency downwind landing. After touchdown, the airplane veered off runway and crashed into a large bank of earth. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt A. C. Shilleto.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Worthy Down: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z6342

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Worthy Down AFB (Winchester)

Schedule:

Leuchars - Worthy Down - Thorney Island

Location:

Hampshire

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Leuchars on a flight to RAF Thorney Island with an intermediate stop at RAF Worthy Down. After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 100 feet, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed, bursting into flames. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Francis Henry Wilkinson, pilot,
F/Sgt Jack Adrian Colin London, observer,
P/O Cedric Hubert Owen Priest, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure upon takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo near McDill AFB

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas B-18 Bolo

Operator:

Registration:

37-496

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2496

YOM:

1937

Location:

McDill AFB (Tampa)

Florida

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane suffered an engine failure and crash landed near McDill AFB. There were no casualties.
Crew:
William C. Anderson.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 in Sobótka: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1942 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Lower Silesian Voivodeship (Dolnośląskie)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1122

Location:

Sobótka

Country:

Poland

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in the Ślęża mountain near Sobótka, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Uffz Rudolf Weisszierl, pilot,
Ogfr Günther Raditzki, radio operator,
Ogfr Karl Hoffmann, mechanic,
Ogfr Wilhelm Dirschke, air gunner,
Ogfr Fritz Volkenstein, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Icing.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111F-2 in Szczaniec: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1942 at 1530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Lubusz Voivodeship (Lubuskie)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

2415

Location:

Szczaniec

Country:

Poland

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Szczaniec, killing all four occupants, three crew members and one civilian.
Crew:
Uffz Heinz Pfütze, pilot,
Uffz Truagott Hickel, observer,
OW Richard Bachert, mechanic.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a pilot error.

Crash of a Cessna Crane I in Vanscoy: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1942 at 1240 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna T-50 Bobcat (AT-8/AT-17/UC-78 & Crane)

Operator:

Registration:

7657

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Vanscoy - Saskatoon

MSN:

1100

YOM:

1941

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Region:

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Captain / Total flying hours:

Captain / Total hours on type:

6.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Vanscoy Airport, while climbing to a height of 100 feet, the twin engine airplane suffered a structural failure, dove into the ground and crashed, bursting into flames. Three crew members were killed and two others were injured. The airplane was on a ferry flight to Saskatoon Airport.
Crew:
F/Sgt Hugh Charles Campbell, pilot. †
Passengers:
LAC Benjamin Dean Cook, †
LAC Hubert Vernol Ford, †
LAC E. P. Friesen,
LAC A. L. Freebairn.

Probable cause:

Loss of control in initial climb after fabric peeled off from the right wing. The accident was due to a structural failure caused by overstressing as a result of a rapidly executed manoeuvre made by the pilot during unauthorized aerobatics.

Final Report:

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 in Foggia: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type: