Dorset | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While on a training exercise out from RAF Watton, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a field in Portesham and was damaged beyond repair. All three crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt L. Cornish,
Sgt G. Relph,
Sgt J. Robson.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Worth Matravers: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4832

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Christchurch - Christchurch

MSN:

9347

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Christchurch on a local test flight. While cruising off the Dorset coast, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some 24 miles south-southwest of Worth Matravers. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Douglas Leonard Rayment,
Sgt Raymond Sadler.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the accident may be the consequence of an engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-1 off Isle of Portland: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1941 at 1037 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Registration:

U5+EM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Évreux - Évreux

MSN:

1022

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Évreux Airfield on an anti-shipping operation off the south coast of England. Approaching Dorset, it was shot down by a British fighter and crashed in The Channel off the Isle of Portland. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Anton Wieners, pilot,
Uffz Hansgeorg Welker, observer,
Ofw Helmut Klöden, radio operator,
Uffz Gottfried Klose, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Manston: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1941 at 2120 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

T4299

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

MSN:

1952

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1900LT on an operation to Brest. It was shot down at 2120LT by the pilot of a Hurricane registered V6960 and crash landed in Manston, Dorset. A crew was killed and four others were injured:
Crew:
P/O N. E. Sharp,
F/O R. C. Alabaster,
Sgt J. A. Gibson,
Sgt L. U. Allum,
Sgt William Norman Brindley, wireless operator. †

Probable cause:

Mistakenly shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Dorchester: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2439

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

West Raynham - West Raynham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 1915LT on an operation to Brest. It crashed and exploded 5 miles northwest of Dorchester. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Ian Burrows, pilot,
Sgt George Benjamin Holt Birdsell, observer,
Sgt Hugh Raymond Perry, wireless operator.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden in Lyme Regis

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P2089

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Hemswell - Hemswell

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Hemswell on an operation over Bordeaux. While returning to its base, the airplane ran out of fuel and forced landed. All four crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
P/O P. M. de Mestre,
P/O I. H. Stewart,
Sgt J. I. Doyle,
Sgt L. Hodgson.

Probable cause:

Forced landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Dornier DO.17M in Blandford Forum

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1940 at 1500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.17

Operator:

Registration:

5F+OM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cherbourg - Cherbourg

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Cherbourg on a reconnaissance mission over England. While cruising at an altitude of 18,000 feet, it was attacked by three Hurricanes. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Fw Fritz Bohnen, pilot,
Oblt Georg Thiel, observer,
Uffz Alfred Werner, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Boulton & Paul P.75 Overstrand off Chesil Beach: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Boulton & Paul P.75 Overstrand

Operator:

Registration:

K8173

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Warmwell - Warmwell

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Warmwell on a bombing exercice over the Chesil Bank, Dorset. While flying along the coast, the left engine caught fire and exploded. The aircraft entered a dive and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O D. R. Williams,
LAC K. J. Cyster,
LAC G. W. Patterson.

Probable cause:

The left engine caught fire and exploded in flight for unknown reasons.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off the Isle of Portland

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1939 at 2030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K8711

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Thorney Island - Thorney Island

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight our from RAF Thorney Island. While cruising at night, the crew encountered poor visibility due to thick fog. Short of fuel, the captain decided to ditch the airplane some three km northeast of the Isle of Portland. All four crew members were rescued and the aircraft later sank.
Crew:
Sgt Bodien, pilot,
Sgt Williams, copilot,
AC1 D. Hider,
AC1 Fog.