Royal Air Force - RAF | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Crew was performing a training exercise from RAF Topcliffe. In unknown circumstances, aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and was destroyed by impact forces. All six occupants were killed.
Crew (all Canadians citizens):
F/O Joseph P. Lavallee, pilot,
Sgt. Richard G. Kimball, navigator,
F/O Wilfred L. Boisvert, flight engineer,
F/O Walter Phillips, bomb aimer,
W/O George E. Giff, W/Operator,
Sgt. Guy H. Hivon, gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Klazienaveen: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1944 at 1838 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

DV287

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Crew was involved in a bombing mission. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field in Klazienaveen. A crew was seriously injured while all 8 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the pilot of a German fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Lake Lough Erne: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

FP193

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

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Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

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In unknown circumstances, the float plane went out of control and crashed into the Lake Lough Erne, off the Boa Island, north of Enniskillen. All 7 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax V in Tetworth Hill: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1944 at 0115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax V

Operator:

Registration:

LK743

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

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Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tempsford - Tempsford

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The aircraft left RAF Tempsford at 2032LT on 07JAN1944 bound for Belgium on Operation Tybalt 3 and Thersites 4 with three Belgian agents on board. While returning to its base, on final approach by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in Tetworth Hill, less than 2 km short of runway. All ten occupants were killed.
Crew:
H. M. Kennedy,
T. S. Howlett,
V. A. E. Theedom,
S. Whiteley,
E. Thripp,
D. F. Davies,
P. S. Barlow.
Passengers:
Henri Verhaegen 2.

Probable cause:

According to the RAF, the loss of control on final approach was caused by the failure of the number one engine.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III in the Celtic Sea: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1944 at 1523 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

JM709

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Pembroke Dock - Pembroke Dock

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The crew (228th Squadron) was engaged in an anti submarine patrol mission over the Bay of Biscay, and left RAF Pembroke Dock at 0537LT. The seaplane aircraft was flying in the clouds and when it came out of the cloudy area, it was spotted by the pilot of a Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Fw.190. It was shot down and crashed some 190 km west of Brest, France. All 11 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down.

Crash of a Stinson AT-19 on Mt Sawel: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Stinson SR-10 Reliant

Operator:

Registration:

FK914

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Eglinton – Macrihanish

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En route from Eglinton to Macrihanish, the crew encountered poor weather conditions (snow falls) when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Sawel. The wreckage was found on 29 January 1944. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
S/Lt Alan Albert Pollock,
S/Lt Alan Frederick Orchard,
S/Lt John Bernard Johnson.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7 Boston IIIA in Eagle House School: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

BZ387

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

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Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hartford Bridge - Hartford Bridge

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Crew was returning to RAF Hartford Bridge following a bombing mission over north of France. On final approach, an engine failed and pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in Eagle House School, some 4 km northeast of the airbase. Three locals, among them an off-duty airman, attempted to help the crew when the aircraft exploded. All four crewmen and one rescuer were killed while both other rescuers were injured.
Crew:
Arthur G. Truxler, pilot,
Donald H. Skipp, pilot,
Albert John Naisbit, air gunner,
Brian Alphonsus McConnell, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Port Soderick: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1943 at 2100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

N5026

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

West Freugh - West Freugh

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The crew left RAF West Freugh at 1953LT for a night training exercise. While approaching the Isle of Man, the crew encountered engine problems and the pilot elected to make an emergency landing in poor weather conditions when the twin engine aircraft hit a cliff located 1,5 mile from Port Soderick. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (4th AFU):
F/Sgt C. G. Eckersley, pilot,
Sgt H. Peters, navigator,
Sgt G. R. Tippett, bomb aimer,
Sgt H. C. Thompson, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt L. J. Henley, wireless operator.
Source: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=144966

Probable cause:

An Inquiry into the accident found that the primary cause of the accident was “ the shearing of one of the propeller Boss belts, which caused spasmodic and intense vibration, and loss of engine revs as it came into contact with the nuts of the front cover. It was though that the Pilot decided to make an immediate forced landing, preferably on water near the coast, but that he overshot aiming north while flying in bad visibility, and faced with cliffs ahead, he opened up to try and clear them, but crashed head on into them.”

Crash of a Douglas DB-7 Boston III in RAF Portreath: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1943 at 0845 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

W8370

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

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Crashed shortly after take off from RAF Portreath for unknown reason. Two crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland near Voi: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

EJ140

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

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While flying in poor weather conditions on an international flight from Mombasa, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Sangalla Hills located south of Voi. All eight crew members were killed.