Country
code

Oxfordshire

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK Dakota C.4 in Middle Aston

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
KJ971
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Upper Heyford - Upper Heyford
MSN:
14820/26265
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie from RAF Upper Heyford. In flight, the instructor deliberately shut down an engine to simulate a failure. Few minutes later, one of the pilot under instruction inadvertently shot down the second engine. The crew was unable to restart the engine and the instructor decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a pasture located in Middle Aston, about 2 miles northwest of the airfield. The aircraft came to rest and was written off while all four crew members were unhurt.
Probable cause:
The crew inadvertently shot down an engine in flight.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in RAF Brize Norton

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MW168
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brize Norton - Brize Norton
MSN:
MW168
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, directional control was lost. The crew tried to take over but the aircraft overran, went through a railroad and came to rest. All five crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on takeoff caused by a loss of power on engine number two.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in RAF Chalgrove

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-70255
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
520
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Ground looped on landing at RAF Chalgrove and came to rest. The pilot Ralph D. Campbell Jr. was unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Stanton Harcourt

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
43-35371
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
445
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the engine failed, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. On final, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Stanton Harcourt, west of Oxford. While the pilot was injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Harvey T. Bonser, pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion. A fuel gauge stuck indicating ¼ tank when the tank was actually empty.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Henley-on-Thames

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1943 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BJ798
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
White Waltham - White Waltham
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF White Waltham on a local training flight. At 1530LT, it landed on the small landing ground at Henley in mistake for nearby White Waltham Airbase. It crashed through the boundary fence and was damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.
Crew:
F/O G. Fox, pilot +4.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near RAF Harwell: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1943 at 2105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BJ836
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Harwell - Harwell
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training exercise at RAF Harwell. While flying at night in the vicinity of the airbase, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances 3 km southeast of the airfield. A crew was killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt F. E. W. Clarke, pilot,
W/O Robert Vale Bridgeman, wireless operator, †
Sgt C. M. J. Murphy,
Sgt D. H. Neelin,
F/Sgt J. A. Reynolds.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Bicester

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7361
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bicester - Bicester
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon takeoff from RAF Bicester, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed on a parked Albemarle registered P1459. Both airplanes were damaged beyond repair and all four crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Crew:
W/O D. Lyth,
P/O C. B. M. Sheylin,
Sgt J. D. Harvey,
Sgt H. S. Wiltshire.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at RAF Chipping Norton: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1942 at 0350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AB694
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chipping Norton - Chipping Norton
MSN:
PAC.165
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while on a night training exercise, the aircraft failed to gain height, hit trees located past the runway end and crashed. Both pilots were killed.
Crew (6th AFU):
F/O H. A. Kallend, pilot,
Sgt James Greenall, pilot.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft was unable to gain sufficient height after rotation because the elevator trim was incorrectly set by the crew.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Benson

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1942 at 0310 LT
Operator:
Registration:
BB237
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse in the evening of October 23 on an operation to Genoa. While returning to base the following night, it diverted to RAF Benson where it crashed and caught fire while trying to land on an unlit runway. All eight crew members escaped with various injuries.
Crew:
F/Sgt W. C. Richardson, pilot,
Sgt F. H. Barratt,
Sgt V. F. R. Kennard,
P/O D. J. Clarke,
Sgt A. Guy,
Sgt G. L. Hills,
Sgt F. J. Piller,
Sgt G. A. Scarcliffe, air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Stanton Harcourt: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1942 at 0045 LT
Operator:
Registration:
BD376
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stanton Harcourt - Stanton Harcourt
MSN:
2634
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training exercise at RAF Stanton Harcourt. On final approach at night, the pilot initiated a go around procedure then made a steep climb when the airplane stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Norman George Clarke, pilot,
P/O Denis Ross Crockford Bartlett, navigator,
P/O Bernard Reginald Steel, bomb aimer,
Sgt Francis Beaumont Mitchell, wireless operator,
Sgt Alexander Richard Minney, air gunner.