Date & Time:
Nov 24, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
T4160
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
1853
YOM:
1940
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1732LT on an operation to Torino. While returning to base, it ran out of fuel and ditched in The Channel off Dover. By an awful misfortune of chance, the dinghy only partially inflated and then drifted away. Meanwhile, a lifeboat had set out to search for survivors and this vessel came across the pilot, still alive, and took him to safety. Tragically, no other survivors could be found.
Crew:
Sgt Franck Albert Parton, †
Sgt Frederick Leslie Moore, †
Sgt John Gray, †
Sgt Vincent Gerald Sullivan, †
P/O D R Bagnall.
Crew:
Sgt Franck Albert Parton, †
Sgt Frederick Leslie Moore, †
Sgt John Gray, †
Sgt Vincent Gerald Sullivan, †
P/O D R Bagnall.
Probable cause:
Aircraft ditched due to fuel exhaustion.
