Bedfordshire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Swinderby at 1950LT on September 8 on an operation to Kassel. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel and crashed near Woburn. Two crew members parachuted to safety and two others were killed in the crash.
Crew:
Sgt Ford Rowney, pilot, †
F/Sgt Thomas Anthony Barker, wireless operator, †
Sgt E. Morgan,
Sgt J. Mitchell.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at RAF Cranfield

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

L4568

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cranfield - Cranfield

MSN:

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

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The twin engine airplane crashed upon takeoff at RAF Cranfield for unknown reasons. All four crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O D. Wisdom,
LAC W. C. Bone,
LAC T. F. Wilmot,
LAC J. C. W. King.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Oakley

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1940 at 1100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N3572

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

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Circumstances:

The pilot departed RAF Upwood on a solo navigation exercice. Following a loss of engine power, he reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a field located in Oakley, northwest of Bedford. The pilot P/O F. Windram was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Loss of engine power.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Toddington

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

P9278

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Honington - Honington

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1800LT on October 16 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base at night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions over East Anglia and diverted to RAF Abingdon. On approach, the airplane collided with trees and crashed in Toddington, northwest of Luton. All four crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt F. Bevan,
Sgt W. F. Jones,
Sgt H. Rossiter,
Sgt J. M. McLean.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II near Turvey: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1940 at 1530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

N4729

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cranfield - Cranfield

MSN:

2459

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

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Captain / Total flying hours:

500

Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Cranfield on a training flight. While cruising at low height, the airplane collided with a tree and crashed near Newton Park Farm, about one mile southwest of Turvey. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O James Frederick Bridge, pilot,
LAC Jack Henry Kissner, pilot.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the pilot was flying less than 100 feet above the ground and had flown into bright sun, which hampered his vision. It was also stated that, although James Bridge had a total of nearly 500 flying hours, he had not had much experience of flying dual in an Oxford and this may have been a contributory factor.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 in Colmworth: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1940 at 0055 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

4D+HM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Gilze-Rijen - Gilze-Rijen

MSN:

8045

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Gilze-Rijen Airport on an operation to England. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Colmworth, killing all four crew members.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Harrold: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1940 at 1145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

R3597

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a training mission when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Harrold, northwest of Bedford. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Terence Newton, pilot,
Sgt David Vincent Malpass, observer,
Sgt Joseph Newton Routledge, observer.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RAF Cranfield

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

N5196

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cranfield - Cranfield

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The pilot was performing a solo night training exercise. Shortly after liftoff, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed in an open field past the runway end. The pilot was slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (35th Squadron):
F/L G. R. Boles.

Probable cause:

Engine failure shortly after rotation.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Cranfield

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1247

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cranfield - Cranfield

MSN:

8530

YOM:

1938

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane belly landed at Cranfield Airport and came to rest. All three crew members evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was reported that the undercarriage could bot be lowered on approach as it was jammed for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Percival P.10 Vega Gull in Luton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Percival P.10 Vega Gull

Operator:

Registration:

G-AFBR

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Redhill - Luton

MSN:

K.79

YOM:

1937

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed for unknown reasons while on approach to Luton Airport, killing all three occupants.
Crew:
Alasdair Workman MacRobert, pilot.
Passengers:
Edward Sander Baker,
Ronald Eric Laurence Beere.