Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in RAF Lyneham

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MW207
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
MW207
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing, the brakes failed. The aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and collided with an embankment. All six occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the brakes system due to a leak on a hydraulic line.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III off Southend: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DV976
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
During a training sortie, the engine number three failed. The captain decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to ditch the aircraft when the same engine caught fire. Shortly later, the engine detached and the seaplane hit the water surface at high speed, overturned and came to rest off Southend. Six crew members were injured while the captain and all three passengers were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the engine failure was not determined with certainty. However, the absence of an experienced copilot was considered as a contributory factor as the workload caused by an emergency situation was too heavy for the sole captain.

Crash of a Vickers Wellington into the Gulf of Aden: 10 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1947 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC565
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Aden-Khormaksar Airport. Enroute, the airplane went out of control, went into a dive by an angle of 30° and finally crashed into the Gulf of Aden, about 352 km east of Aden. Few debris were found but no trace of the ten occupants who were considered as deceased. The aircraft sank in relatively deep. It is believed that an engine failed in flight and that the crew mistakenly shot down the wrong engine. It is possible that the engine failure was caused by a lack of electric power due to the failure of a battery. Also, it appears that the cargo loading was completed against the published procedures and that the CofG was affected, which may contribute to the loss of control.

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B2 in Mautby: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RE373
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training sortie from RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire. While cruising northwest of Great Yarmouth, the crew encountered very poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and heavy turbulence. The aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Mautby. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (97th Squadron):
F/Lt Stanley Frederick Whitlock, pilot,
F/Lt Jack Anthony Guest, pilot,
F/Lt John George Cook, navigator,
F/Lt Ronald Vernon Havard, navigator and bomb aimer,
Albert Wattleworth, signaler,
Vincent Orville Woods, air gunner,
William Allison, flight engineer,
Roy Andrew Trundle, air gunner,
LAC Denis Frederick Cummings.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control was caused by heavy turbulence encountered while flying in thunderstorm activity but evidence was inconclusive.

Crash of a Vickers 491 Viking C.1A in Aberdeen

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VL245
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
144
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The captain decided to make an emergency landing and the aircraft crash landed in a field located 3 km from the airport. All 11 occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in RAF Dishforth

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MW223
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
MSN:
MW223
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie in RAF Dishforth. Upon landing, while decelerating, the engine number two caught fire. The captain applied full brakes and stopped the aircraft. All five crew members were able to leave the cabin before the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Failure of a hydraulic line connected to the landing gear, causing the fluid to flow into the number two engine's nacelle. In contact with high temperature parts, the fluid caught fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK Dakota C.4 in Westgate-on-Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
KJ984
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
MSN:
14977/26422
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie and while cruising at low height with an engine inoperative, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Westgate-on-Sea. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the loss of control could not be determined with certainty. However, investigators confirmed the aircraft was flying with an engine inoperative as voluntarily shut down by the crew for the exercise. Also, the pilot was able to recover from the spin but unfortunately too late as the distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient when stall occurred.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.19 near Maridi

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PH865
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising by night in good weather conditions, a short-circuit on the electrical system caused the failure of several instruments. As the crew decided to fly without a navigator (which was considered against RAF procedures), the captain decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a prairie, skidded for several yards and eventually came to rest with its left engine in flames. Both crewmen were able to leave the aircraft that was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Short-circuit on the electrical system.

Crash of a Avro 683 Lancaster III in RAF Ballykelly

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SW371
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ballykelly - Ballykelly
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff when all four engines failed simultaneously. All five crew members were injured and the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Failure of four engines on takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Mt Meenard: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NK877
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While flying in a valley in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Meenard. Four crew members were injured while a pilot was killed.