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Durham

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Teesside

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1987 at 0616 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
G-AZHL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Teesside – Nantes
MSN:
31-760
YOM:
1971
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2769
Captain / Total hours on type:
900.00
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was engaged in a charter flight from Teeside to Nantes, carrying two passengers, two pilots and a load of 250 kilos of cargo, including a container of Type A radioactive material weighing 37 kilos. Takeoff acceleration was normal and the pilot allowed the aircraft to accelerate to 100 mph, some 15 mph above the minimum controllable single-engine speed, before lifting off. Very soon after lift-off he felt a loss of power from the left engine but, believing this to be only a partial failure, decided to continue the take-off and raised the landing gear. He felt the aircraft was still climbing and heard the pilot's assistant say 'I have the rudder'. He then realized that the airspeed was reducing rapidly and that he was losing directional control. He lowered the nose and headed for a grass area to the left of the runway, where the aircraft struck the ground in a steep left bank. All four occupants were quickly rescued, only the pilot was seriously injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on the left engine during initial climb. A damaged gasket was found in the Lear-Romeo engine driven fuel pump, capable of causing a large fuel leak and allowing air to enter the fuel system.
Final Report:

Crash of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul in Seaton Carew AFB

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AJLH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bovingdon – Seaton Carew
MSN:
5126
YOM:
1947
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown at RAF Seaton Carew, an undercarriage failed. The aircraft came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while both occupants were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failure on landing.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Middleton Saint George: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC430
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
During an airshow in RAF Middleton Saint George, the crew was involved in a demonstration mission consisting of para-dropping a low height. On final approach, during the last segment, the airplane nosed down and crashed at runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the technique adopted by the crew to drop the paratroopers was wrong. After the lateral door was closed, it appears that the air flow along the rudder and the elevator changed due to the presence of the paratroopers. This caused the aircraft to adopt a wrong attitude and the response from the crew was inappropriate.

Crash of a Vickers 456 Warwick I near Dinsdale: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BV233
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thornaby - Thornaby
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a radio navigation exercise out from RAF Thornaby. While approaching Dinsdale at an altitude of 500 feet, the aircraft was 'attacked' by the pilots of two RAF Hurricanes that were conducting an unauthorized practice interception of the bomber. To evade the 'attack', the pilot of the Warwick attempted a steep climb when he lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (279th Squadron):
F/L Harvey Luck, pilot,
F/L Ronald Cooper, navigator.
F/O Desmond Holland, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O Frederick Ritchie, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O Robert Woolfield, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt James Wiles, air gunner.
Source: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=161987
Probable cause:
Loss of control.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling in Mt Mickle Fell: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1944 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LK488
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Wratting Common - Wratting Common
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a night training exercise. En route, the pilot did not realized his altitude was insufficient and the crew was unable to distinguish the presence of the mountain due to the low visibility caused by foggy conditions. The aircraft hit the south slope of Mt Mickle Fell, skidded for some hundred yards before coming to rest in flames. The tail gunner was found alive while all six other occupants were killed.
Crew (570th Squadron):
F/Sgt Peter Dawbarn Young, pilot, †
F/Sgt Neil Conway Burgess, navigator, †
Sgt Bertram George Davis, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt John Matthew Stack, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt Rex Patrick Furey, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt George Child, air gunner, †
W/O Alan G. Small RNZAF, tail gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax V in Croft AFB

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
LK907
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Croft AFB, in initial climb, the aircraft collided with a flock of birds that hit the windshield. Both pilots were injured and attempted to make an emergency landing. They reduced their altitude and landed in an open field. Aircraft skidded few hundred yards before coming to rest. All crew were rescued and evacuated while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Crew was from 434th Squadron.
Probable cause:
Bird strike after takeoff.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Middleton St George: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1942 at 1545 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W7665
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Middleton St Geroge. The airplane crashed while attempting to land on three engines, the port outer being feathered. The airplane was destroyed and all five crew members were injured. The following day, the pilot died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
F/Sgt Sidney Tackley, pilot, †
Sgt H. W. Owen,
Sgt Wilson,
Sgt Morgan,
Ac1 Robertson.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Middleton St George: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1942 at 1530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
R9482
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Middleton St George. It took off at 1530LT and crashed almost immediately, due to one, or both engines, failing on the port side. The Halifax climbed slowly to approximately 100 feet, stalled and dived into the ground and burst into flames. Five crew members were killed and the sixth occupant was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur Aston, pilot, †
Sgt Herbert Ralph Smith, flight engineer, †
P/O William Joseph Cole, observer, †
Sgt Cecil Douglas Barnett, wireless operator, †
Sgt Lawrence Desmond Richardson, air gunner, †
P/O Herbert Reginald Higgins, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of one or two engines.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in RAF Middleton St George: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1942 at 1118 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W7661
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Middleton St George. While flying in the vicinity of the airbase at an altitude of 2,000 feet, just below the cloud base, a RAF Avro 652 Anson registered V4140 appeared on a converging course. The pilot tried to dive beneath the Halifax but its tail assembly caught the Halifax and both airplane dove into the ground and crashed near the airfield. All eight crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt James Henry Gordon Bingham, pilot,
Sgt Maurice Charles Glover, navigator,
W/O Melvin Harry Roberts, observer,
Sgt John Black Fraser Fanning, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Gymer Warkcup, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Hubert Bircher, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RAF Middleton St George: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1942 at 1118 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V4140
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Middleton St George. While flying in the vicinity of the airbase at an altitude of 2,000 feet, just below the cloud base, the twin engine airplane suddenly appeared on a converging course. The pilot tried to dive beneath a RAF Halifax (registered W7661) but its tail assembly caught the Halifax and both airplane dove into the ground and crashed near the airfield. The Halifax was also completing a local training exercise at RAF Middleton St George. All eight crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Frank Raymond Magson, pilot,
Sgt John Charles William Sealey, pilot.