All United Kingdom

Landing (descent or approach)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Rearsby - Melbourne

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The crew was performing a flight from Rearsby to RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted on a large area but eventually suspended a week later as no trace of the aircraft nor the five crewmen was found. It is believed the aircraft may have crash into the Humber or maybe into the North Sea after encountering electrical problems, causing the failure of the communication (radio) systems.
Crew:
W/O Reginald Arthur Webb,
W/O Kenneth Crabtree,
F/Lt John Ireland,
F/Lt Leonard Jack Lawrence,
S/L Bernard Frederick Perkins.

Crash of an Avro 685 York in Gibraltar

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

MW119

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Schedule:

Northolt - Gibraltar

MSN:

MW119

YOM:

1944

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On final approach, during the last segment, the captain decided to go around. The aircraft hit the runway surface, went out of control and came to rest into the sea. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while there was no casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in United Kingdom: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

JX273

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Oban-Oban

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Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in Shining Tor: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

LX745

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

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Crew was performing a training flight when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Shining Tor, East Cheshire. All three crew were killed.

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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Circumstances:

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 Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress IIA off Punta Carnero

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

FK208

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

MSN:

2670

YOM:

1941

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While on approach to RAF Gibraltar, the aircraft crashed into the sea off Punta Carnero, south of Algeciras. All ten crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Douglas Dakota III in Gibraltar

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

FD888

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

9540

YOM:

1943

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Overshot on landing in Gibraltar and crashed into the sea. No casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24C Liberator II off Gibraltar: 16 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1943 at 2307 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AL523

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Schedule:

Gibraltar - Hendon

Location:

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Circumstances:

The Captain Eduard Prchal, the only survivor, confirmed he received the green light from the tower and began the night take-off roll. He pulled the stick back and the aircraft started to climb. At an altitude of 150 feet, he pushed the controls of the aircraft forward to gain speed when he discovered he was unable to pull the stick back. The steering mechanism was jammed or locked. The aircraft then lost height rapidly. The Captain closed the four throttles and warned the others through the intercom "Attention, crash". The aircraft crashed into the sea 16 seconds after take off. The Captain was the only survivor as all 16 other occupants were killed, among them the Polish General and Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski, his daughter Zofia and his Chief of Staff, the Major General Tadeusz Klimecki. The crew was from the 511th Squadron.
Passengers:
Col Victor Cazalet,
Jan Gralewski,
Maj Gen Tadeusz Klimecki,
Adj Adam Kułakowski,
Zofia Leśniowska,
Walter Heathcote Lock,
Col Andrzej Marecki,
Adj Harry Pinder,
Lt Józef Ponikiewski,
Gen Władysław Sikorski
Brig John Percival Whiteley.

Probable cause:

A British Court of Inquiry convened on 7 July 1943 to investigate the crash, following the order by Air Marshal Sir John Slessor of 5 July 1943. On 25 July 1943 the Court concluded that the accident was caused by the "jamming of elevator controls" which led to the aircraft being uncontrollable after take-off. The report noted that "it has not been possible to determine how the jamming occurred" although it ruled out sabotage. Slessor was not satisfied with the report and on 28 July ordered the Court to continue its investigation to find out whether the controls were indeed jammed or not, and if they were, then for what reason. Despite further investigation the Court was unable to resolve Slessor's doubts. The Polish government refused to endorse this report because of the contradictions cited therein, and the lack of conclusive findings.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A-CO Liberator II in Gibraltar

Date & Time: May 23, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AM911

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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