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Dorset

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.41 Albemarle I in Bournemouth: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1943 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.41 Albemarle
Operator:
Registration:
P1434
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bournemouth - Bournemouth
Location:
Bournemouth
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training exercise from/to Bournemouth-Hurn Airport. On final approach, the right engine failed due to a lack of oil pressure. The captain abandoned the approach and started a go around. During the second attempt to land, the aircraft turn onto its back and crashed in a field located short of runway. Three crew members were killed while the fourth occupants was injured.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine caused by the collapsing of the cylinder number 4 due to a piston ring fracture.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Poole: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1943 at 0435 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
FP287
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Poole - Poole
Location:
Poole
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training sortie from Poole. After a waiting period of 25 minutes, the pilot completed a first flare. During a second flare, the aircraft took off in foggy conditions before hitting the water off Poole and sank. Eight crew members were killed while four others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew (210th Squadron):
F/O P. R. Duff, †
F/O W. A. Hobson, †
P/O D. O. Ahmed,
Sgt J. S. Garnett,
F/Sgt R. E. Rasmussen, †
F/O M. D. Cohen, †
Sgt R. J. Kington,
Sgt W. Eley,
Sgt A. B. Allen, †
Sgt M. M. Doyle, †
Sgt F. Frogson, †
Sgt G. Harper. †

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Poole: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGDA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Poole - Poole
MSN:
AH-563
YOM:
1941
Location:
Poole
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight in the region of Poole. While landing in the Poole harbor, the seaplane christened 'Dog-Able' went out of control and crashed. Three crew members were killed while three others were injured.
Those killed were:
R/O Reginald Martin,
R/O Fred Mitchell,
Mr Loweman, flight engineer.
Source & photo:
http://www.pooleflyingboats.com/archive/Momentum-for-the-Postwar-Era-at-Poole.pdf

Crash of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator II in Lytchett Minster: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
AL546
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Boscombe Down - Boscombe Down
Location:
Lytchett Minster
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Boscombe Down on a test flight consisting of a series of climb tests when the starboard outer engine (n°4) oversped and caught fire. The captain ordered his crew to abandon the airplane which they did successfully. Unfortunately, the airplane broke up and crashed in Lytchett Minster, killing the pilot.
Crew:
W/Cdr John William McGuire, pilot, †
W/O F. Robinson.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 on the Isle of Portland: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Registration:
M2+LL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1558
Location:
Isle of Portland
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on an operation to England, the airplane was shot down by the British Flak and crashed on the Isle of Portland. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Horst Becker, pilot,
Uffz Richard Gurklies, observer,
Uffz Helmut Kording, radio operator,
Gefr Josef Rother, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the British Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Bournemouth

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1942 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9320
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Croft - Croft
MSN:
2384
YOM:
1941
Location:
Bournemouth
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Croft at 1735LT on February 14 on an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base the following night, and with its wireless equipment unserviceable, the crew strayed off track and, subsequently, came down in the sea at 0200LT some 20 miles south of the Hampshire resort of Bournemouth. All five crew members were injured and rescued.
Crew:
P/O R. E. Atkinson,
Sgt J. C. Stevens,
Sgt R. Shipley,
F/Sgt J. D. Rogers,
P/O G. T. Turner.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Fifehead Magdalen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1942 at 0745 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1312
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor - Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Location:
Fifehead Magdalen
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor at 0445LT on an operation to Cherbourg. Approaching the target area, it was hit by the German Flak and turned back to base with the bomb load intact. It crashed at 045LT after colliding with high tension cables near Fifefhead Magdalen. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Leslie Brown, †
Sgt Arthur Leslie Hewish, †
Sgt Peter Harold Smith, †
Sgt Dudley George Taylor, †
Sgt H. R. Garland,
Sgt I. T. Highlett.
Probable cause:
Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Isle of Portland: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1519
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waterbeach - Waterbeach
Location:
Isle of Portland
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waterbeach at 1602LT on January 3 on an operation to Brest. While returning to base the following night and approaching the British coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Isle of Portland. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Albert John Copping, pilot,
F/Sgt John William Colpitts,
F/Sgt Baxter Froude,
Sgt Aubrey Harold Shattock,
Sgt Arthur Ronald William Smith,
P/O Raymond Bowen Thomas.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Powerstock

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
X9785
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Location:
Powerstock
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 1840LT on an operation to Brest. The starboard engine failed and after his crew have bailed out, the pilot crash-landed at Holm Farm near Powerstock and escaped uninjured. All five other crew parachuted to safety, except one who broke a leg.
Crew:
Sgt Vezina,
Sgt Harding,
P/O Brown,
Sgt Willett,
Sgt Toynbee-Clark,
Sgt Crump.
Probable cause:
Failure of the starboard engine in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Saint Alban's Head: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
X9677
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Location:
Saint Alban's Head
Dorset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2151LT on October 10 on an operation to Bordeaux. It came down in the sea off Saint Alban's Head. Three crew members were rescued and three others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Eric William Ireland, †
Sgt James Douglas Pugh, †
Sgt Robert Worrall Stephenson, †
Sgt A. M. McLean,
Sgt A. C. Honeyman,
Sgt L. M. Benstead.
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