Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route from Guayaquil to Manta, the crew encountered poor visibility due to fog. The single engine airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Jipijapa and was destroyed upon impact. All six occupants were killed, among them General Jose Enrique Ribadeneira.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Caudron C.635M Simoun in Jouy-en-Josas: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1939 at 1415 LT

Type of aircraft:

Caudron C.630/C.635 Simoun

Operator:

Registration:

401

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Villacoublay – La Rochelle

MSN:

8492.401

YOM:

1938

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The pilot took off from Vélizy-Villacoublay Airport almost simultaneously with a French Air Force Lioré 451. While in initial climb, the Simoun that was positioned to the left of the Lioré, collided the Lioré with its right wing. Out of control, the Simoun entered a dive and crashed on a farm adjacent to the Montcel Castle in Jouy-en-Josas. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crew:
Adj/C Georges Marcillac, pilot.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I at RAF Leuchars: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

N7214

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Leuchars - Thornaby

MSN:

414-1610

YOM:

1939

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Shortly after takeoff from RAF Leuchars, while climbing to a height of 300 feet, the airplane stalled, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed about 800 metres from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. They were on a transit flight to RAF Thornaby.
Crew:
F/O Desmond George Perry, pilot,
P/O John William Crawford McFarlane, copilot.
Passengers:
Sgt Harry Letchford,
P/O Richard Atkinson Barker,
AC1 Frederick Henderson May,
AC1 Cyril Arthur Bates.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the loss of control during initial climb was the consequence of an unbalanced load of the crew and their kit, which affected the aircraft's C of G and stability.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Hayling Island

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1939 at 2030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K6234

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Thorney Island - Thorney Island

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The airplane was dispatched in a striking force mission when it suffered an engine failure. While returning to RAF Thorney Island, it crashed into the sea off Hayling Island. All four crew members were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
P/O M. V. Hunter, pilot,
Sgt Richard Arthur Bate, copilot,
AC1 Samuel Meek McCraken,
AC1 Hills.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley IV into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1939 at 0505 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

K9018

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

MSN:

1471

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft departed RAF Dishforth at 2215LT on 01OCT1939 with Berlin as its target (leaflet dropping mission). While cruising some 180 miles east of Saint Abb, Scotland, the aircraft disappeared into the North Sea. The last radio transmission was recorded at 0505LT on October 2. No trace over the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (10th Squadron):
F/Lt John William Allsop, pilot,
P/O Alan Gordon Salmon, pilot,
AC1 John Rogerson Bell,
AC1 Alfred Francis Hill,
LAC Fred Ellison.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Grossjena: 13 killed

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1939 at 1620 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Aslau – Bad Langensalza

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The three engine airplane departed Aslau (now Osła) in Silesia, on a flight to Bad Langensalza, carrying 10 membres of the Stuka Gruppe based in Bad Langensalza. En route, the airplane collided with a balloon cable and crashed. All 13 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Trang

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1339

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

8622

YOM:

1938

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Circumstances:

After landing at Trang Airport, the airplane went out of control and the undercarriage ripped off. All four crew members evacuated safely.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley III at Reims AFB

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1939 at 0055 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

K8965

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Reims - Reims

MSN:

1418

YOM:

1938

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The crew was engaged in a leaflet dropping mission over Germany. Shortly after take off from Reims-Champagne Airbase, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. All five occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew (58th Squadron):
Sgt A. G. E. Dixon,
F/O B. W. Curries,
Sgt J. S. Cameron,
AC1 R. D. Fowlie,
AC1 J. Thomas.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Pembroke Dock

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1939 at 1830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

N6135

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Birżebbuġa - Pembroke Dock

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Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Birżebbuġa (Kalafrana), the crew started the approach to Pembroke Dock in poor weather conditions. Upon landing downwind on Milford Haven off Pembroke Dock, the float plane lost its both wingtip floats and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Chabahar

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8527

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Sistan and Baluchestan

Country:

Iran

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane suffered an engine failure in flight. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed and collided with a hedge. Both crew members evacuated safely.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.