Africa | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Luqa to attack a German vessel off the Tunisian coast. The crew had just bombed the ship from the sea level when the airplane collided with the mast of the ship and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Harold Frederick Dukes-Smith, pilot,
F/Sgt Anthony Hussey, observer,
Sgt Alfred James Wratten, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near El Adem

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1942 at 2325 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

L7864

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

El Adem - Buerat

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed El Adem at 2315LT on a flight to Buerat. Few minutes after takeoff, one of the engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a desert area located 11 km north of El Adem. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all six crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt J. F. R. Morrison,
P/O R. Salmon,
P/O La Brish,
Sgt Clay,
Sgt D. Griffin,
Sgt James.

Probable cause:

Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Boeing B-17C Flying Fortress near Shallufa AFB

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

AN521

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

2053

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

One of the engine caught fire in flight. All eight crew members bailed out and abandoned the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed near Shallufa AFB. All crew members parachuted to safety.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Caudron C.445 Goéland in Beni Belaïd

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Caudron C.440 Goéland

Operator:

Registration:

F-BAGH

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Government

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Colomb-Béchar - Algiers

MSN:

8393/106.75

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Beni Belaïd. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Musmer

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7577

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wadi Gazouza - Wadi Gazouza

Location:

Musmer

Red Sea (البحر الأحمر)

Country:

Sudan

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Wadi Gazouza on a training exercise. For unknown reasons, the airplane crash landed in a desert area located near Musmer, about 180 km northeast of Atbara. Both crew members were rescued.

Crash of a Lockheed 10A Electra near Ismailia

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 10 Electra

Operator:

Registration:

AX699

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

1097

YOM:

1936

Location:

Ismailia

Country:

Egypt

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

For unknown reasons, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing near Ismailia Airport. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and there were no injuries among the occupants.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Buerat: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7915

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Luqa - Luqa

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Luqa to attack convoy of trucks on the Libyan coast. Approaching the target area, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Roy Frederick Joseph Henley, pilot,
Sgt Harold Frederick Dolland Parsons, observer,
Sgt Desmond Philip D'Arcy, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-08 LodeStar in Tobruk

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGCZ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Heliopolis - Tobruk

MSN:

2023

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane crashed for unknown reasons upon landing at Tobruk Airfield. There were no injuries.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth off Mossel Bay

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1941

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth

Operator:

Registration:

1410

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

7106

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane ran out of fuel and crashed into the sea some 86 km south of Mossel Bay. The pilot, sole on board, was rescued.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 near Benghazi: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

7T+LL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

3583

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Benghazi. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ofw Heinrich Trubold, pilot,
Lt Hermann Meyer, observer,
Uffz Otto Fladung, radio operator,
Uffz Herbert Breuer, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.