Royal Air Force - RAF

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII

Schedule:

Berlin – Lübeck

MSN:

14819/26264

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

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The crew was taking part to the Berlin Airlift and was flying back to his base in Lübeck-Blankensee. During a night approach, after he went through the last cloud layer, the pilot was blinded by the sodium lamps part of the approach light system. He decided to reduce his altitude and then completed a last turn to the left to join the runway when the aircraft hit the ground and crashed 3 km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax Met.6 in La Línea de la Concepción: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

RG850

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

La Línea de la Concepción

Location:

Andalusia

Country:

Spain

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

On approach to Gibraltar Airport, one of the left engine failed. The captain elected to make a go around when control was lost. The aircraft stalled and crashed in La Línea de la Concepción, north of the airport. Five crew members were killed while two others, among them the pilot, were injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Uffington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

NK380

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The pilot was sole on board this Anson registered NK380 and was completing a combined exercice with a second Avro Anson registered EG251 and carrying one pilot as well. Both crew were involved in an ATC school exercice. In flight, the pilot of the first Avro (EG251) started a turn when it collided with the second aircraft. Both airplanes went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Uffington, Berkshire. Both aircraft were destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the pilot of EG251 started a turn without knowing the exact position of the second aircraft that he collided with.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Uffington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

EG251

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

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Circumstances:

The pilot was sole on board this Anson registered EG251 and was completing a combined exercice with a second Avro Anson registered NK380 and carrying one pilot as well. Both crew were involved in an ATC school exercice. In flight, the pilot of the first Avro started a turn when it collided with the second aircraft. Both airplanes went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Uffington, Berkshire. Both aircraft were destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the pilot of EG251 started a turn without knowing the exact position of the second aircraft that he collided with.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson T.21 in Exhall: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1949 at 0945 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VV243

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Middleton St George - Mepal

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Circumstances:

While cruising in VFR mode over the region of Coventry at an altitude of 4,500 feet, the Anson collided with a BEA C-47 registered G-AHCW and carrying four crew members and six passengers from Northolt to Glasgow. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Exhall, north of Coventry. All 14 occupants in both aircraft were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of a midair collision. Since neither aircraft took any apparent avoiding action it must be concluded that the pilot of the Anson did not see the Dakota and that the pilots of the Dakota did not see the Anson. This must be attributed to failure on the part of the captain of each aircraft to ensure the maintenance of an effective lookout.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in RAF Shepherds Grove

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

PA410

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

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Circumstances:

Following the failure of two engines, the aircraft belly landed at RAF Shepherds Grove and came to rest in flames. While all crew members of the 149th Squadron escaped unhurt, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson T.20 in Uganda: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

VS526

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Circumstances:

Apparently due to a poor flight preparation and a lack of coordination during the flight, the crew failed to follow the assigned route, causing the aircraft to be off track by 56 km. When the pilot realized he was flying against a mountain, he increased the engine power when the aircraft hit a rocky zone and crashed in flames in a mountainous area located somewhere in Uganda (the exact place remains unknown). Two crew members were killed while two others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK in Lübeck: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

KN491

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Berlin – Lübeck

MSN:

16261/33009

YOM:

1945

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Lübeck-Blankensee Airport in low visibility due to the night and poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit tree tops, stalled and crashed 500 meters further in a wooded area. A pilot and seven passengers were killed while 14 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was taking part to the Berlin Airlift and all passengers, most of them women and children, were German citizens evacuating Berlin. The aircraft left Berlin-Gatow Airport earlier that day.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew continued the approach below the minimum descent altitude.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster B.7 near Tintwistle: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1948 at 0005 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

PA411

Flight Phase:

Flight Type: