Schleswig-Holstein | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was completing a training sortie in Lübeck, towing a glider. While flying around the airport at low height, the left engine failed. The crew immediately dropped the glider and reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field located near the airport, slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine following a jam of the fuel supply system.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK Dakota C.4 in Uetersen

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

KN439

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

16121/32869

YOM:

1945

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On final approach to Uetersen in poor weather conditions, the left engine failed. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that stalled and crashed in flames in a field short of runway threshold. All occupants were injured, the copilot more seriously. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine on final approach.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester IA in Westerland: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7516

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe

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The aircraft left RAF Skellingthorpe at 2142LT on April 29 on a bombing mission to Kiel, Germany. While approaching the German coast, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted to make an emergency landing in a field. On touchdown, the aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest. Two crew members were killed while all five other occupants were injured.
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/Sgt S. Willett,
F/Sgt S. E. Packard,
P/O N. Hannah,
F/Sgt H. S. McDonald,
Sgt C. A. Miners,
Sgt David Alexander Williams, †
Sgt Cecil John Scott. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Benz

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 0137 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

W5567

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lindholme - Lindholme

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The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 2123LT on March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. Approaching the target area from the north at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the airplane was shot down by the German Flak. All six crew members bailed out and became PoW. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed in Benz, some 40 km north of Lübeck.
Crew:
Sgt Franciszek Wasinski, pilot,
F/O Jerzy Leon Antoni Jungowski, pilot,
F/O Kazimierz Pawluk, observer,
Sgt Marian Jan Skubiszewski, wireless operator,
Sgt Czesław Jan Krupa, air gunner,
Sgt Józef Michał Krawiecki, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Lübeck: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 0124 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1274

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Grimsby - Grimsby

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Grimsby at 2139LT on March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed on the Cambrai Kaserne. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt George Thomas Leather, pilot,
Sgt Wilfred Clarence Picher, pilot,
Sgt Gerald Patrick Murray, observer,
Sgt Hugh James McHutchinson, wireless operator,
Sgt Horace James Whale, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth William Smith, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Heligoland Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 0107 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1061

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds

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The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2055LT on March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and is believed to have crashed in the sea somewhere off Heligoland Island. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Edward Ward, pilot,
Sgt Erskine Peter Wright, pilot,
Sgt John Robert Dodd,
Sgt Hugh Ian Fraser,
Sgt Andrew Albert Sidney Harris, wireless operator,
F/O Bertram John Fyson, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Klausdorf: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 0104 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

R5781

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Scampton – Scampton

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 1930LT on March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. After passing over Kiel, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Klausdorf, less than 6 km southeast of Kiel. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Theodore Arthur Lumb, pilot,
Sgt Patrick Charles Walsh, pilot,
Sgt Sydney Thomas Woodbridge, observer,
Sgt John Edward Burcher, wireless operator,
Sgt James Rooney, wireless operator,
Sgt William Lawrence Cox, air gunner,
Sgt Edward Thomas, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Kiel: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 0024 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

X3462

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Feltwell in the evening of March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. Passing over Kiel, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed at Johannesstrasse 9. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Maurice Perrott Bell, pilot,
Sgt Franklyn Bertram Cran, pilot,
Sgt Claude Joseph Harris, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Gilliam Allen, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Richard Cross, air gunner,
Sgt James William Hinton, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Ahrensfelde: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 2340 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

R9305

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1959LT on an operation to Lübeck. After passing north of Hamburg at night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Ahrensfelde, some 20 km northeast of Hamburg. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Raymond Lawrence Hayes, pilot,
P/O David Robert Hart, pilot,
Sgt Charles Charles Nicholas Watkin, flight engineer,
P/O John Marr, observer,
Sgt Raymond Wyatt Page, wireless operator,
Sgt Leslie Donald Sollars, wireless operator,
Sgt victor Arthur Lionel Ellis, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Gnutz: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 2337 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

W7466

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1940LT on an operation to Lübeck. Approaching Neumünster at night, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in a field in Gnutz. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Mervyn Richard Robert Green, pilot,
Sgt Clarence William Starrett, pilot,
Sgt James Frederick Grimmett, flight engineer,
P/O John MacLean Murdock, navigator,
Sgt Edgar George Tapner, wireless operator,
Sgt Donald Ian Dunn, air gunner,
Cpt John Frimston Wyn-Griffith, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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