Devonshire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

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:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

VV899

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Hamble - Hamble

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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

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100640

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Villacoublay – Exeter

MSN:

19103

YOM:

1943

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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:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

ML829

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Plymouth - Plymouth

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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

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100511

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

18974

YOM:

1943

Location:

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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

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

FK242

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

211

YOM:

1941

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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:

Airspeed AS.5 Courier

Operator:

Registration:

X9344

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

YOM:

1934

Location:

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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 an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V on Lundy Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

AD698

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Chivenor - Chivenor

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The airplane was returning to base at RAF Chivenor following an anti-submarine patrol flight. In poor visibility, it impacted ground and crashed on the west part of Lundy Island. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Edward Veal,
Sgt Oswald Austin Jones, air gunner,
Sgt Reginald Ellis,
Sgt Eric Hampson,
Sgt Harry Hannah,
Sgt Young John Markham.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Tavistock: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1942 at 2330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

R5617

Flight Phase:

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The crew was completing a night training flight when he encountered very bad weather conditions. In limited visibility, the airplane impacted hilly terrain near Tavistock and was destroyed. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Andrew Picken Paterson, pilot, †
F/Sgt Richard Lewis Mellish, observer, †
Sgt Charles Arthur Pankhurst, observer, †
F/Sgt Leonard Mervyn Smith, wireless operator, †
Sgt T. K. Paul,
F/Sgt T. A. M. Whiteman.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

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

Date & Time: May 4, 1942 at 0239 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

4D+FU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

City

MSN:

5169

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down by a British fighter and crashed in Exeter, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Uffz Bernhard Leyser,
Uffz Wilhelm Pfeiff,
Gefr Ernst Keil,
Gefr A. Koepl.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.