Date & Time:
Nov 18, 1941 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Blackburn B-26 Botha
Operator:
Registration:
L6195
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
West Freugh - West Freugh
MSN:
7864/42
YOM:
1940
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from RAF West Freugh, while climbing, the aircraft stalled, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located near the airport. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (4th AOS):
Sgt Walter Francis Godfrey Hobby, pilot,
LAC Robert Charles Sharp, observer,
AC1 William Charles Ellis, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC2 George William King, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC Ciaran Anzlony Clarke, air gunner.
Crew (4th AOS):
Sgt Walter Francis Godfrey Hobby, pilot,
LAC Robert Charles Sharp, observer,
AC1 William Charles Ellis, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC2 George William King, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC Ciaran Anzlony Clarke, air gunner.
Probable cause:
It appears that the aircraft stalled during initial climb following a loss of power on the right engine. This was caused by a false move on part of the captain who throttled back the right power lever while trying to remove his hand to select the undercarriage up. This caused the right engine to lose power and the aircraft to stall.
