Northumberland | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route to RAF Ouston on a flight from RAF Turnhouse, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing following a fuel exhaustion. The airplane crash landed in Stagshaw Bank, about two miles north of Corbridge. Both crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 in Falstone: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Varsity

Operator:

Registration:

WL640

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Thorney Island - Thorney Island

YOM:

1953

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training flight out from RAF Thorney Island. While cruising at an altitude of 13,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control, entered a spin and dove into the ground. At an altitude of 1,500 feet, the airplane disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in a field located in Falstone. All five crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

A Board of Inquiry into the accident was held but was unable to determine the cause of the accident. Only those on board knew what had really occurred but our records indicate that the Board, whilst unable to say for certain what had happened, concluded that the mostly likely reason that the aircraft broke up was that it had been overstressed but there was no evidence to say why this had occurred and the Board could only conjecture.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson XI at RAF Acklington

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

PH782

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Acklington - Acklington

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Suffered an undercarriage failure while taking off from RAF Acklington. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage collapsed on takeoff.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Simonburn

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Operator:

Oldstead Airlines

Registration:

G-AFMF

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Newcastle – Dublin

MSN:

6432

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Ten minutes after his departure from Newcastle Airport, the pilot encountered severe icing conditions and the leading edge were contaminated with ice. At an altitude of 3,200 feet and while in a flat attitude, the twin engine aircraft hit the ground and crashed in fire. All eight occupants were seriously injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the pilot failed to prepare the flight according to procedures as he started the mission without any information about weather conditions along the route. Thus, he was unaware of the icing conditions. It was also reported that the aircraft was not equipped with deice/anti-ice systems, which was against the regulations and considered as a contributory factor.

Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson T.21 in Powburn

Date & Time: May 7, 1953

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

VV299

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Scone - Scone

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a training sortie from RAF Scone. En route, he encountered poor weather conditions and the pilot-in-command decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground. The airplane hit the ground with its left wing then a tree with its right wing, rotated and crashed in a field. All five crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The pilot-in-command decided to continue the flight below the minimum safe altitude in limited visibility.

Crash of an Avro 696 Shackleton MR.1 off Berwick-upon-Tweed: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1952 at 1934 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 696 Shackleton

Operator:

Registration:

VP261

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Scampton - Scampton

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew left RAF Scampton to take part to a combined exercice with the British submarine christened HMS Sirdar, on behalf of the 120th Squadron. While flying at low height and simulating an aerial attack, the pilot-in-command completed a steep turn when the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea about 11 miles off Berwick-upon-Tweed. Two pilots were rescued while 11 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the aircraft's speed was too low during the last turn, causing it to stall. Also, the distance between the aircraft and the water surface when the stall occurred was insufficient to expect a recovery.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I in Hazeltonrig: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 10, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

L6531

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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While flying in low visibility due to heavy snow falls, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Cheviot Hills, near Hazeltonrig, north of Rothbury. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (4th AGS):
Sgt Zawalinski, pilot,
LAC H. Carter, radio operator,
LAC K. Bradley, air gunner,
LAC Donald Campbell, air gunner.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha in RAF Tranwell: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

W5137

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tranwell - Tranwell

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

While on a training sortie from RAF Tranwell, the Botha registered W5137 collided with another RAF Botha registered W5154 and carrying a crew of four. The collision occurred in unknown circumstances, both aircraft crashed in a field near the airbase and all nine crew members were killed.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha in RAF Tranwell: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

W5154

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tranwell - Tranwell

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While on a training sortie from RAF Tranwell, the Botha registered W5154 collided with another RAF Botha registered W5137 and carrying a crew of five. The collision occurred in unknown circumstances, both aircraft crashed in a field near the airbase and all nine crew members were killed.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 off Blyth: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1942 at 2006 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Registration:

U5+NT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Amster

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport on an operation to England. Approaching the British coast, it was shot down by a Beaufighter and crashed into the sea off Blyth. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Emil Aster, pilot,
Uffz Arnold Neumann, observer,
Gefr Hans Lehmann, radio operator,
Uffz Karl Thomas, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

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