Mountains | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances on the north face of a mountain located northeast of the village of Jitrava. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Uffz Walter Becker,
Uffz Karl-Heinz Richter,
Uffz Hans Weickert.

Crash of a Douglas B-18A Bolo near Napa: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Douglas B-18 Bolo

Operator:

Registration:

37-498

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

San Rafael – Salt Lake City

MSN:

2498

YOM:

1937

Location:

Napa

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from San Rafael to Salt Lake City, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions when the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of the Twin Sisters Peak located 10 km east of Napa. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all five occupants were killed.
Crew:
T/Sgt Robert M. Kinney,
Cpt Franklin Smith Nelson,
Pfc John W. Phillips,
2nd Lt Eugene W. Sell,
T/Sgt Andrew Zeik.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Saro A.36 Lerwick in Faslane: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Saro A.36 Lerwick

Operator:

Registration:

L7248

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Calibration

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Helensburgh - Helensburgh

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after take off from Helensburgh, while climbing, the right engine failed. The crew was unable to maintain a safe height on just one engine and the aircraft hit a hillside near Faslane, north of Helensburgh. All seven occupants, engaged in a calibration test flight, were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt John Collison Alexander, pilot,
P/O Charles Henry Mills, pilot and observer,
LAC William Sidney Emilio Gianella, air gunner,
LAC William Desmond John McLaughlin, radio operator,
AC2 Peter Beattie Hunter,
AC1 Raymond Theodor Moorcroft Bullocke,
Passenger:
Mr Wilfred Harry Such, civilian instrument repairer.
Source:
http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=582:seven-died-in-faslane-seaplane-crash&catid=88:military&Itemid=462

Probable cause:

Eyewitnesses saw the starboard wing dip before the crash. The two engines, which were recovered from the wreckage and sent to Bristol for examination, were found to be fully serviceable. So it was assumed that flying control problems had been experienced. The Court of Inquiry into the accident concluded that Lerwicks were unstable, particularly on landing approach. It was further noted by the Air Investigating Board, together with the MAEE commanding officer, that the handling characteristics of the Lerwick had never been satisfactory when flying with one engine feathered.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte near Gabrene: 14 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

D-AUXZ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sofia – Thessaloniki – Athens

MSN:

7172

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

259

Circumstances:

En route from Sofia to Thessaloniki, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain (1,800 metres high) located south of Gabrene. The wreckage was found near the border with Greece. The airplane named 'Otto von Beaulieu-Marconay' was destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Arpad von Pindter, pilot,
Augustin Holz, copilot,
Friedrich Viktor Barthold, radio operator,
Karl-August von Struensee, cabin crew.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth near Harrismith: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1941

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth

Operator:

Registration:

1412

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

7112

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route to Stamford Hill Airport in Durban, the pilot encountered low clouds when the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Platberg (2,394 metres high) located east of Harrismith. Both occupants were killed. among them Brigadier Harold Griffin Eady of the Royal Air Force.
Crew:
Lt Alexander Thompson, pilot.
Passenger:
Br Harold Griffin Eady.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II in Waitara: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

NZ1238

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Ohakea - Ohakea

MSN:

2659

YOM:

1940

Location:

Waitara

Taranaki Regional Council

Country:

New Zealand

Region:

Oceania

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Ohakea AFB on a navigation training exercise. While cruising over the area of Waitara and completing a turn, the crew lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed on the slope of a hill, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both pilots were killed.
Crew (3rd ATS):
F/Lt Harold Wiles,
LAC Norman Wilson.

Crash of a Douglas B-23 Dragon near Beaumont: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Douglas B-23 Dragon

Operator:

Registration:

39-42

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Albuquerque - March

MSN:

2728

YOM:

1939

Location:

Beaumont

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was returning to its base at March AFB on a flight from Albuquerque, carrying seven people. While cruising in poor visibility due to fog and rain falls, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located about 10 km northeast of Beaumont. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
John E. Overstreet +6.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Glendowan

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

AD768

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Coningsby - Coningsby

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1820LT on October 1st on an operation to Karlsruhe. While returning to base the following night, it passed over the United Kingdom aynd was eventually abandoned by the crew over the Glendowan Mountains in Ireland. All four crew members were rescued and interned.
Crew:
Sgt H. J. Newby,
Sgt F. W. Tisdall,
Sgt J. Wakelin,
Sgt D. Reid.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at Danby Head: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1941 at 0355 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

Z6871

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

2212

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1853LT on September 29 on an operation to Stettin. While returning to base the following night, it crashed on high ground at 1,400 feet at Danby Head, some 10 miles north of Kirkbymoorside. The pilot was killed and five others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Kyle Kibbe, pilot, †
P/O D. B. Delany,
Sgt C. Miller,
Sgt R. Gayler,
Sgt P. L. N. Trehearn,
Sgt C. Carr.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Sondrio: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1941 at 0208 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1279

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Honington - Honington

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1934LT on September 28 on an operation to Genoa. While returning to base the following night and after passing the area of Milan, it is believed that it was shot down by enemy fire. The crew reported engine problems then the airplane crashed in the Italian Alps, apparently in the region of Sondrio. The wreckage was not found.
Crew:
F/Sgt Walter Stanley Kitson, pilot,
P/O John Roy Freeland, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Gordon Gove, observer,
Sgt James Williamson Lee, wireless operator,
Sgt John Richard Palmer, wireless operator,
Sgt John Alfred McLean, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

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