Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta T.3 off Hartland Point: 10 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WG258
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hullavington - Hullavington
MSN:
506
YOM:
26
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew (six student-pilots and four pilots) left RAF Hullavington for a navigation training mission over the Celtic Sea. En route, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances few miles off the Hartland Point Lighthouse. All ten crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson off Brixham

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VV899
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hamble - Hamble
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While completing a training sortie from RAF Hamble, the crew encountered an engine failure in flight and decided to ditch the aircraft few miles off Brixham, Devon. While both crew members were rescued, the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-70-DL near Bellever: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
42-100640
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Villacoublay – Exeter
MSN:
19103
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While on approach to Exeter Airport, the crew was forced to divert to RAF Western Zoyland due to poor weather conditions. Few minutes later, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit stone wall on a hillside and crashed. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Plymouth: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ML829
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Plymouth - Plymouth
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Plymouth harbor, the aircraft failed to climb and crashed into the sea. Two crew members were killed while 9 others were rescued.
Crew killed (10th Squadron):
F/Sgt Harry Thomas Groennou,
P/O Peter Malcolm Hore.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL off the Lundy Island

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-100511
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
18974
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Bristol Channel, off the Lundy Island. While the aircraft sank and was lost, all occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator IIIA near Princetown: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
FK242
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
211
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base in England following a maritime patrol flight over the Bay of Biscay. While flying northeast of Princetown, the bomber hit a barrage balloon and crashed in the Dartwood National Park. A crew member was seriously injured while six others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Harry Olsen Dawe, pilot, †
Gavin Marton Sellar, pilot, †
F/O Victor Edward Crowther, observer, †
Sgt William Gilmore Fraser, flight engineer, †
P/O William Allen Cruickshanks, wireless op. and air gunner, †
William Ballantyne Martin, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Dennis Trevor Pass.
Special thanks to Peter Burke for crew details.
Probable cause:
In flight collision with a barrage balloon.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.5A Courier in RAF Bolt Head

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9344
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
11
YOM:
1934
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after lift off, the single engine aircraft went out of control, hit a hedge and crashed. Both occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-2 in Shute

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1942 at 2335 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
U5+MN
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Amsterdam - Amsterdam
MSN:
5356
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport on an operation to Exeter. It was shot down by a British fighter and crashed in Shute. All four crew members became PoW.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Beer Head

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1942 at 0530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W1045
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2211LT on April 14 on an operation to Dortmund. While returning to base the following morning, it ran out of fuel and was ditched into the North Sea some 5 km southeast of Beer Head. All seven crew members were subsequently rescued from their dinghy.
Crew:
W/O D. J. O'Driscoll,
P/O Dempsey,
Sgt Oakford,
Sgt Saunders,
F/Sgt McLaughlin,
Sgt Harrison,
Sgt Wiles.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Branscombe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1942 at 1125 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P1226
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Exeter - Exeter
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Following repairs, the airplane departed Exeter Airfield on a local test flight prior to be delivered to RAF Scampton. While flying in foggy conditions, the airplane impact the slope of hilly terrain and crashed near Branscompe. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Derek Alfred Cook, pilot,
P/O Robert Emmett Manders, observer.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.