Test

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Ford - Ford

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The crew were conducting a night test flight out from RAF Ford when the airplane crashed for unknown reasons into the sea off Worthing. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Norman Cox, pilot,
F/Sgt Drummond Chapman,
F/Sgt Douglas John Parr,
Sgt John Raymond Sullivan.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Luqa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7511

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Luqa - Luqa

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The crew was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Luqa. Shortly after liftoff, one of the engine caught fire. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near the airfield. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O Samuel McAllister, pilot, †
Sgt Edward Harry Brenton, observer, †
Sgt W. E. Martin, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Engine fire upon takeoff.

Crash of a GVF PS-84 in Moscow

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1941

Type of aircraft:

GVF PS-84

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L3420

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Schedule:

Moscow - Moscow

MSN:

6 5 02

YOM:

1940

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The airplane was involved in a local test flight at Moscow-Vnukovo Airport following an engine change and a reset of the fuel system. A total of 200 litres of fuel were added in the fuel tanks prior to takeoff. After liftoff, while climbing, both engines failed simultaneously. The airplane stalled and crashed near the Moscow - Kiev motorway. All three crew members were injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the mechanic failed to monitor the fuel selector that was positioned on the rear right tank that was empty at the time of the accident as the fuel was added in the other tanks.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Lindholme

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W5529

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Schedule:

Lindholme - Lindholme

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The crew was completing a local test flight at RAF Lindholme. The port engine failed and the bomber crashed while trying to make a single engine landing. All four crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt J. Szybka,
Sgt J. Duda,
LAC F. Matysiak,
LAC S. Jablonski.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Sibsey

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7375

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While performing a test flight, the crew encountered technical problems with the starboard engine. The airplane crash landed in a field located at Sibsey, some 4 miles northeast of Boston. Both crew members escaped uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (97th Squadron):
F/O H. S. Blakeman +1.

Probable cause:

The starboard propeller jammed in fine pitch, necessitating an emergency landing.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Exeter: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1941 at 1645 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W5432

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield on a test flight. En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to divert to Exeter Airport where the bomber crashed on approach. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Mellor Rhodes, pilot,
P/O John Ross Robertson, pilot,
Sgt Matthew Ward Wright, observer,
Sgt Bernard Kenneth George Willmer, wireless operator,
Sgt Gordon Bannerman Dundas, wireless operator,
Sgt Victor Ernest Thomas Riddiford, air gunner.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-2 in Rheine: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1941 at 1350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Schedule:

Rheine - Rheine

MSN:

5158

YOM:

1941

Location:

Rheine

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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The crew was completing a local test flight at Rheine Airfield when the airplane crashed for unknown reasons in the vicinity of the airport. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Eugen Flir, pilot,
Fw Heinrich Hehn, observer,
Willi Faatz, controller.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II near RAF Pocklington: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W5492

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Schedule:

Pocklington - Pocklington

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Pocklington on a local test flight. While cruising at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent, suffered a structural failure and crashed two miles north-northeast of the airbase. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Norman Watson Thompson, pilot,
Sgt Ronald George Chandos, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Peter Turton, observer,
Sgt Charles Harold Fletcher, wireless operator,
Sgt Walter Irvine Strother, wireless operator,
Sgt James Matthew Maxon, air gunner,
Sgt Gabriel Phillips,
AC1 Harry Armitage.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the dinghy breaking loose from its stowage and fouling the elevators, which in turn sent the Wellington into a steep dive and structural failure occurred.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Castletown: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L9394

Flight Phase:

Flight Type: