Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Caen, departing for Brest, the floatplane crashed in the Caen Canal. The pilot was killed and three other crew members were injured.
Crew:
Ofw Walter Niess, pilot, †
Fw Josef Haas, mechanic,
Uffz Karl Tubbesing, radio operator,
Ogefr Wilhelm Bauer, mechanic.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg6e on Mt Dreiherrnspitze: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

6888

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew encountered poor weather conditions with strong winds and made an emergency landing on Mt Dreiherrnspitze, probably at an altitude of 3,200 metres. All 11 occupants were rescued but the radio operator was seriously injured and died from injuries sustained on January 10. The wreckage was covered with snow and ice and disappeared. Nevertheless, it moved away with the Umbalkees Glacier during the following years and was localized in 2001 and recovered in 2003.
Crew:
Erich Stobbe, pilot,
Sfw August Pusch,
Obfw Werner Walter,
Uffz Schröder.
Passengers:
Gefr Linke,
Gefr Buran,
Mr. Drexel,
Mr. Voigt,
Mr. Petersen,
Mr. Dobler,
Mr. Richter.

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to unfavorable winds.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF West Raynham

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1941 at 1215 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1100

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

West Raynham - White Waltham

MSN:

8383

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The pilot departed RAF West Raynham on a ferry flight to White Waltham. Upon takeoff, the airplane stalled and crashed onto a hangar and was destroyed. The pilot was seriously injured.
Crew.
Cpt Carill Stanley Napier, pilot.

Probable cause:

The airplane could not get sufficient height and speed upon takeoff because the pilot took a too short run. This was aggravated by a loss of engine power because the throttles creeping back as friction adjusting nut had not been tightened up.

Crash of a Focke-Wulf Fw.58 Weihe in Dinard

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Focke-Wulf Fw.58 Weihe

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

2660

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Dinard Airfield. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Potez 25A-2 in Chamusca: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Potez 25

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Chamusca, killing both occupants, a pilot and his passenger.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina in Lamesa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

2291

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

San Diego - Pensacola

MSN:

YOM:

1941

Location:

Lamesa

Texas

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The floatplane departed San Diego on a ferry flight to Pensacola, carrying a crew of five. While overflying Texas, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with severe turbulence in overcast. They decided to bail out and abandoned the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed near Lamesa. A crew was killed and four others were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Aircraft abandoned in severe atmospheric turbulence.

Crash of a Supermarine Walrus in Port Sudan

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Supermarine Walrus

Operator:

Registration:

L2214

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Port Sudan

Red Sea (البحر الأحمر)

Country:

Sudan

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Crashed for unknown reasons in the sea off Port Sudan. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I at RAF Langham: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1941 at 1448 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

T9287

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Bircham Newton - Langham

MSN:

414-2322

YOM:

1940

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton on a transfer flight to RAF Langham, carrying three crew members, two pilots being given local familiarization and three ground crew who were lifted to RAF Langham. Approaching RAF Langham, the pilot was demonstrating dive-bombing techniques and descended too low when the left wing collided with a barn. The airplane went out of control and crashed, killing all eight occupants.
Crew:
F/O Henry Edward Middleton Featherstone, pilot,
P/O John Buttemer Allen, pilot,
P/O Roy McKenzie Mansell, pilot,
F/O Dennis Maurice Gerald Kiralfry, pilot,
Sgt Robert Arthur Plowright, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
LAC Kenneth Charles George Gilder,
AC1 George Alexander Meridew,
LAC William Arthur Meller.

Probable cause:

The pilot misjudged the distance between the airplane and the barn while completing a demonstration at low height.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg5e off Bodø

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

KC+DG

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

6929

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew encountered unknown technical difficulties and was forced to ditch the airplane that crashed off Bodø. There were no casualties but the aircraft was lost.