Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On final approach to Manchester-Ringway Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed short of runway and was wrecked. Both pilots from the 500th Squadron were injured.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero in Cartosio: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1940 at 1300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Rome - Torino

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Rome to reach the CIAF headquarters (Italian Armistice Commission with France) in Torino with seven people on board. Weather conditions deteriorated when the airplane crashed in Cartosio, about 10 km southwest of Acqui Terme. All seven occupants were killed, among them General Pietro Pintor and General Aldo Pellegrini.
Crew:
Maj Cesare Quinto,
Col Attilio Corti, pilot,
Cpt Giuseppe Cadel, pilot,
Mar Ettore Alberi, engineer.
Sgt/M Paolo Cinti, mechanic.
Passengers:
Gen Pietro Pintor,
Gen Aldo Pellegrini.

Crash of a Douglas C-33 near Puntarenas

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-33 (DC-2)

Operator:

Registration:

36-78

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1511

YOM:

1936

Location:

Puntarenas

Puntarenas (Central and South Pacific)

Country:

Costa Rica

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing after an engine caught fire in flight. The aircraft crash landed in a pasture located in the area of Puntarenas and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Heinkel He.70 in Graz

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.70

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1650

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in Graz following an engine failure. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF in Woolley Bridge

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

K7172

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

8125

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew encountered poor weather conditions and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a field and came to rest upside down. Both crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
P/O Donald Anderson, pilot +1.

Crash of a Dornier DO.18D-0 off Falsterbo

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.18

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

669

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane suffered an engine failure in flight, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. It ditched off Falsterbo, south Sweden and came to rest upside down with the tail torn off. All five crew members were rescued.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Elmdon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1940 at 0102 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

T2893

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Stradishall - Luqa

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4200

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 0051LT on a ferry flight to Luqa, Malta, carrying a crew of six. Shortly after takeoff, one of the engine failed. The crew elected to return to the base but the flaps failed and altitude could not be maintained. It is believed that the crew was attempting an emergency landing in an open field when the airplane collided with trees and crashed near Poplar Farm, bursting into flames. Two crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
S/L B. J. McGinn,
P/O J. A. Parker,
Sgt A. D. Brisbane,
Sgt R. Clarke,
Sgt John Raggenbass, wireless operator, †
Sgt Claude Horace Bain, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Lahore

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L4916

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lahore - Lahore

MSN:

8931

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Lahore Airport, the bomber stalled and crashed. All three crew members were injured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84A Dragon in Saint Wenn

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1940

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon

Operator:

Registration:

AW170

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Saint Eval - Exeter

MSN:

6018

YOM:

1933

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from RAF St Eval to Exeter, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field in St Wenn, east of RAF St Mawgan. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
P/O Konrad Stembrowicz.

Crash of a Heinkel He.70 in Zingst: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.70

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1548

Location:

Zingst

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Zingst, bursting into flames. Both crew members were killed.
Crew.
Uffz Emil Wille, pilot,
Gefr Josef Wotzkow, mechanic.