Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK Dakota C.4 in Westgate-on-Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
KJ984
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
MSN:
14977/26422
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie and while cruising at low height with an engine inoperative, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Westgate-on-Sea. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the loss of control could not be determined with certainty. However, investigators confirmed the aircraft was flying with an engine inoperative as voluntarily shut down by the crew for the exercise. Also, the pilot was able to recover from the spin but unfortunately too late as the distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient when stall occurred.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Stowting: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1947 at 1730 LT
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGJX
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
London – Bordeaux – Lagos
MSN:
12014
YOM:
1944
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left London at 0930LT on a flight to Lagos with an ETA at 1400LT in Bordeaux, an intermediate stop. While descending to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided not to land. The captain diverted to Paris-Le Bourget instead Toulouse but was unable to land, because the weather was poor. He elected to divert to Cormeilles-en-Vexin but again, landing was impossible. He finally decided to return to London but while overflying Kent, fuel exhausted and the crew was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed in a field located in Stowting and was destroyed. Four crew members and four passengers were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to the following chain of circumstances:
- The weather conditions encountered throughout the flight.
- Bad crewing, as a result of which three of the four operational members of the crew were unfamiliar with the route London - Bordeaux (and Toulouse).
- The captain's failure to ensure that he had all the necessary navigational and landing aid information for that part of the route. In this respect the navigator cannot be considered blameless.
- The unfortunate chance intervention of the York at Bordeaux but for which it seems likely the aircraft would have landed there. In spite of this delay the aircraft could, in fact, have landed as it was then the only one in the vicinity and all radio facilities were at its disposal.
- The captain's decision to go to Le Bourget before ascertaining the weather conditions there in preference to returning to the UK. His navigator had given him ETA's at London and Le Bourget of 1518LT and 1443LT respectively, and he knew Le Bourget. In the light of the evidence it is clear the aircraft would have had more than half an hour's fuel remaining it he had returned direct to England.
- The captains failure to inform Le Bourget of his 1440LT ETA until six minutes earlier. This gave the French station very short notice at a time when much traffic was being handled there in QBI conditions.
- The inability of Cormeilles-en-Vexin to handle two aircraft at once owing to the lack of a second channel, as stated in the French Notice to Airmen No. 49 of 21.10.46.
- The captain's failure to ask Regional Control for further guidance after the failure to establish contact with Cormeilles-en-Vexin between 1447LT, when he acknowledged the diversion and 1514LT when he asked for a QDM.
- The decision of the captain then to try and reach England having regard to his fuel situation at that stage of the flight.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Gillingham: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-96050
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Boreham at 0505LT with several others airplanes on a mission to France (D-Day). While flying over the county of Kent in low visibility, the bomber collided with another Martin B-26 Marauder of the USAAF. Registered 42-96263, it was also carrying a crew of six. Following the collision, the first B-26 dove into the ground and crashed in an orchard, killing all six crew members. The second B-26 crashed at Corporation Road in Gillingham. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and six houses were destroyed as well. All six crew members and four people on the ground were killed.
Crew (394th BG):
Lt Witcher Terrell Berger,
Lt Warren D. Rodgers,
Sgt Edward H. Monaghan,
Sgt George S. Knight,
Sgt Alfred M. Zussa,
Cpl Forrest W. Pafenberg.
Civilians who perished in Gillingham:
Fanny F. Whittingham,
Joan Beatrice Ada Taylor,
Percy Montague Williams,
George Thomas William Gandon.
Source: ASN

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Gillingham: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-96263
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Boreham at 0505LT with several others airplanes on a mission to France (D-Day). While flying over the county of Kent in low visibility, the bomber collided with another Martin B-26 Marauder of the USAAF. Registered 42-96050, it was also carrying a crew of six. Following the collision, the first B-26 dove into the ground and crashed in an orchard, killing all six crew members. The second B-26 crashed at Corporation Road in Gillingham. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and six houses were destroyed as well. All six crew members and four people on the ground were killed.
Crew (394th BG):
Lt Claude Wallace Kline Jr,
Lt Emil F Ostrowski,
Sgt George S. Rogers,
Sgt Raymond F. Sablatura,
Sgt Joseph Amato.
Sgt James F. Bechtler.

Crash of Boeing B-17G-15-VE in Headcorn

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-97458
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6822
YOM:
1944
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Aircraft was returning to its base following a mission over Augsburg, Germany. Due to technical failure, crew elected to make an emergency landing in a field in Headcorn. On landing, aircraft hit a tree, lost a part of its right wing and came to rest, broken in two. All crew escaped safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Unknown technical failure.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1237
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Malling - West Malling
MSN:
8520
YOM:
1938
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure on landing. Unable to stop on the runway, it overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt A. J Knight, pilot,
Sgt F. E Harrison, observer,
AC1 G. Muir.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on landing.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off RAF Manston: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1942 at 2330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R5837
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2101LT to drop leaflets in the region of Paris. Outbound, it was hit by the German Flak in the starboard engine. The crew elected to return to England but eventually ditched the airplane at 2330LT off RAF Manston. The captain survived and was later rescued while all other seven crew members failed to reach the dinghy.
Crew:
P/O M. A. Sproule, pilot,
F/O Douglas James Renvoize, flight engineer, †
Sgt Edward Augustine Fitchett, observer, †
F/O Donald Goodman, bomb aimer, †
P/O Harold Dickinson, wireless operator, †
Sgt John Neary, air gunner, †
Sgt Dennis Gerrard Porter, air gunner, †
P/O Robert James Dyer, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III off Dover: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
W8387
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1209LT on an operation to Boulogne. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak and the crew decided to return to base. Approaching the British coast, the airplane was ditched in The Channel off Dover. Two crew members were killed and two others were rescued by a Royal Navy vessel.
Crew:
P/O Harry Neal, †
Cpl Donald Parr Thwaite, †
Sgt S. R. G. Adams,
Sgt P. Brady.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I near Warden: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942 at 0210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R5831
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2040LT on March 25 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, it collided with the cable of a barrage balloon and crashed near Warden, on the Isle of Sheppey. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Evan Moffat Price, pilot,
F/Sgt Robert Charles Snowball, pilot,
W/O Peter Richard Thompson, observer,
F/Sgt Matthew Cameron Roberts, wireless operator,
Sgt Joshua Arnold Devalle, wireless operator,
Sgt Harry George Samuel Garnham, air gunner,
Sgt Samuel Block, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Collision with the cable of a barrage balloon.

Crash of a Douglas A-20 Havoc I off Margate: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 1540 LT
Operator:
Registration:
BB900
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Manston Airport on a local training exercise (proficiency check). An engine failed in flight and the airplane was ditched in the sea off Margate. The observer was killed and three other crew members were rescued.
Crew:
P/O Offord, pilot,
F/Sgt James Gerard Shandley, observer, +2.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.