Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane was en route from RAF Husbands Bosworth to White Waltham when the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. Over Deepcut, south of Camberley, the airplane developed engine problems, lost altitude and crashed onto a building, bursting into flames. All three occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Loss of engine power while flying in snow falls.

Crash of a Polikarpov S-3 in Russia: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-A1196

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

16510

YOM:

1940

Location:

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Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing the pilot, sole on board.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo on Mt Wolf: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas B-18 Bolo

Operator:

Registration:

39-26

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

McClellan - Pendleton

MSN:

2674

YOM:

1939

Location:

Mt Wolf (Ochoco National Forest)

Oregon

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from McClellan (Sacramento) to Alaska with an intermediate stop in Pendleton, Oregon. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to snow falls. The twin engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Wolf located in the Ochoco National Forest, central east Oregon. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft was found. The wreckage was eventually found on 13 August 1942 about 60 miles east of Prineville. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (36th Squadron):
2nd Lt Richard J. Heiderstadt, pilot,
2nd LT Walter V. McShane, copilot,
T/Sgt Michael R. Bittner, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Donald R. Kirtland, radio operator.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 in Haffkrug: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1588

Location:

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Crashed in unknown circumstances in Haffkrug, about 20 km north of Lübeck. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was injured.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 near Tchern: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Polikarpov Po-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-P117

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

0109

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Tchern, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Tupolev G-1 near Belomorsk

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev ANT-4 (TB-1 & G-1)

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L2011

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

613

YOM:

1930

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The airplane was completing a special flight on behalf of the Red Army, carrying three passengers and four crew members to Karelia. While flying at low height over a wooded area, the right engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane impacted tree tops and crashed in a forest located near Belomorsk. All seven occupants were rescued. Among the passengers were two Commanders from the Red Army and one Chief engineer based in Karelia.

Probable cause:

The right engine failed in flight after the failure of the crankshaft.

Crash of a Douglas B-18 Bolo off Surabaya: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas B-18 Bolo

Operator:

Registration:

36-338

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bandung – Malang

MSN:

1726

YOM:

1936

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En route from Bandung to Malang, the twin engine airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero and crashed into the sea off Surabaya. Two crew members were rescued while five other occupants were killed. The next day, both survivors died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Maj Austin A. Straubel, pilot,
Lt Russell Marshall Smith, copilot,
S/Sgt George W. Pickett, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Lt Glenn Harold Boes,
Maj Joseph Adair Burch,
Lt Erwin Roy Kriel,
Col William Herbert Murphy.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress on Arends Island

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

41-2469

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

2280

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in an operation against Japanese positions in the region of Surabaya. En route, it was attacked by a Mitsubishi Zero and the left outboard engine caught fire. As the crew were unable to extinguish the fire, five crew members bailed out. Few minutes later, the other three airmen crash landed the airplane on Arends Island. All eight crew members were rescued and later transferred by a USAF Catalina.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Toungup

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7680

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Yangon - Toungup

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

After landing at Toungup Airfield, a tyre burst. The pilot lost control of the airplane that veered off runway to the left, struck some barrels and came to rest, bursting into flames. Two crew members escaped uninjured while a third was seriously wounded.
Crew:
Lt N. M. Russel, pilot,
Sgt Tom Barry,
F/Sgt Allan Albert Tillott.

Probable cause:

A tyre burst after touchdown.