Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Broville: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.131
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
Location:
Broville
Meuse
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz-Frescaty AFB on a night mission. En route, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reasons. The crew bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed in a field located in Broville, bursting into flames. Three crew members were injured and a fourth was killed because his parachute burnt.
Crew:
Adj Georges Emile Marie Joseph Lemoine, pilot,
Adj/C Pierre Charles Marie, commander, †
Sgt Pierre Rigollier, radio operator,
Sgt Blanchard, gunner.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I in Prestwick

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1940 at 1505 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
N7250
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Saint Athan – Prestwick
MSN:
414-1646
YOM:
1939
Location:
Prestwick
Ayrshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Prestwick Airport, the pilot-in-command opened the throttle with flaps fully extended. The airplane stalled and crashed. All four occupants were injured.
Crew:
P/O A. P. Davis,
Sgt J. Gosling,
AC1 E. Pearce,
Cpl E. Graham.
Probable cause:
Pilot error on final approach.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I on Mt Snaefell: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1940 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P1260
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Squires Gate - Squires Gate
Location:
Mt Snaefell
Isle of Man
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Upper Heyford on a navigation exercice. The airplane landed at RAF Squires Gate then continued over the Irish Sea. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the pilot became lost. While cruising over the Isle of Man, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Snaefell (2,036 feet high) located 12 km north of Douglas. A crewman was seriously injured but was able to walk away in the snow for two hours before finding help. All three other occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O Horace Miers MacGregor, pilot, †
Sgt Robert James Bailey, navigator, †
Sgt Thomas Owen Dennis, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Cpl Ted Brightmore, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Point Pleasant

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1939 at 1640 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
767
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dartmouth - Dartmouth
MSN:
414-1751
YOM:
1940
Location:
Halifax
Nova Scotia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RCAF Dartmouth on a convoy patrol mission with three other similar aircrafts. En route, weather conditions deteriorated with heavy snow falls. Two pilots, Sqn Ldr Lewis and Flg Off Cowan, managed to land at Sydney without damage, after jettisoning bombs. The third, Flt Lt Baskerville, landed on the beach at Point Michaud, N.S. The last, Sgt Blockley, landed at 1640 hrs in the sea 200 yards from shore at Point Pleasant. Sgt Blockley went ashore in the rubber dinghy to get help. Before he returned, the remainder of the crew were rescued by a small skiff. Their aircraft, the Hudson I 767, drifted ashore, and despite the efforts of the crew was so badly damaged by the waves, that it had to be written off. A party of the squadron recovered the wreckage between 31 December and 2 January.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Méharicourt: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8598
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Méharicourt - Méharicourt
Location:
Méharicourt
Somme
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Méharicourt. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leonard James Sabin, pilot,
AC1 W. S. Martin, wireless operator,
LAC Jasen Job,
Sgt Victor Harvey, observer.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off North Berwick

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1939 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
L4089
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington – Drem
Location:
North Berwick
East Lothian (Haddingtonshire)
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The bomber was completing a flight from RAF Waddington to RAF Drem with four crew members on board. While cruising over the Firth of Forth in poor visibility due to bad weather, the airplane was mistakenly shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea off North Berwick. All four occupants were rescued by fishermen.
Crew:
P/O R. J. Sansome,
Sgt E. L. Farrands,
Sgt H. R. Moyle,
AC1 J. Lyttle.
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by an RAF fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off North Berwick: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1939 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
L4090
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington – Drem
Location:
North Berwick
East Lothian (Haddingtonshire)
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The bomber was completing a flight from RAF Waddington to RAF Drem with four crew members on board. While cruising over the Firth of Forth in poor visibility due to bad weather, the airplane was mistakenly shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea off North Berwick. Three crew members were rescued by fishermen while the fourth occupant was killed.
Crew:
P/O P. F. Dingwall,
Sgt J. A. M. Reid,
Sgt W. K. Lodge,
LAC T. Gibbin. †
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by an RAF fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H in Spöck: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1939 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Spöck
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
About an hour into the flight, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Spöck. Two crewmen were killed while a third was injured. Those killed were Uffz Kurt Eugen Keller and Ogfr Ewald Otto.

Crash of a Potez 25 in Le Mazurier

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Potez 25
Operator:
Registration:
752
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Châteauroux - Châteauroux
MSN:
752
Location:
Le Mazurier
Creuse
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En roue, the pilot encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a field. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and the pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt Dupuis, pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Whitemark

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
A4-17
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Whitemark (Flinders Island)
Tasmania
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to make an emergency landing near the Whitemark Airfield. While all four occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
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