Somerset | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from RAF Westonzoyland, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed near the airbase. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt John Ronald Melville Sales, pilot,
Sgt Hugh Walter Bellingham, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Weston-super-Mare: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P2111

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Finningley - Finningley

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The airplane was engaged in a training exercise out from RAF Finningley when it crashed in unknown circumstances in the Bristol Channel southwest of Wston-super-Mare. The wreckage was not found. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Allison,
Sgt Guy Trevor Corbett, wireless operator,
Sgt James Abraham Tyrrell,
Sgt Henry William White.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth at RAF Westonzoyland

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1941

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth

Operator:

Registration:

AV988

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Bristol - Westonzoyland

MSN:

7051

YOM:

1934

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On approach to RAF Westonzoyland in rain falls, the engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed on a hedge. The pilot was injured and both passengers were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Engine failure on approach.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 in Stoke Saint Michael

Date & Time: May 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

M7+AH

Flight Phase:

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MSN:

8161

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Engaged in an operation to Liverpool, the bomber was shot down by the crew of a Beaufighter and crash landed in a field in Stoke Saint Michael. All four crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Ofw Fritz Schäfer, poilot,
Lt Gottwald Gerlach, observer,
Fw Helmut Boland, radio operator,
Fw Walter Krämer, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P-2 in Corten Denham: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

1G+IT

Flight Phase:

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Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1482

YOM:

1936

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The bomber was shot down by the pilot of a Beaufighter and crashed in a field in Corten Denham. A crew was killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Oblt Hans Zöllner, pilot,
Uffz Erwin Ehlers, observer,
Fw Albert Amode, radio operator, †
Uffz Florian Piechota, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Mudford: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1043

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Newton - Newton

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The airplane departed RAF Newton at 1900LT on an operation to Brest. While making an emergency landing and banking steeply in order to avoid colliding with a house, the airplane hit a tree and crashed at Manor Farm, near Mudford. A crew member was killed and five others were injured.
Crew:
W/C Charles Eric Littler, †
P/O I. H. Aulif,
Sgt A. G. Allen,
Sgt J. E. Summers,
Sgt F. Garbutt,
P/O L. J. Davies.

Crash of a Dornier DO.17Z-3 in Shepton Mallet: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.17

Operator:

Registration:

7T+HK

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

2691

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The airplane was engaged in an operation to Liverpool when it was shot down by the British Flak and crashed in Shepton Mallet. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Heinrich Faupel, pilot,
Oblt Erwin Blanck, observer,
Ogefr Wilhelm Schnake, radio operator,
Fw Gerhard Steppat, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the British Flak.

Crash of a Percival P.10 Vega Gull in Norton Fitzwarren: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Percival P.10 Vega Gull

Operator:

Registration:

X9435

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Norton Fitzwarren - Towyn

MSN:

K.52

YOM:

1937

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The crew departed Norton Manor Camp located in Norton Fitzwarren, on a liaison flight to Towyn, north of Wales. Just after takeoff, the airplane crashed for unknown reasons. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Noel Buchan, pilot,
AC1 Leslie Charles Kell, wireless operator.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Simonsbath: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1940 at 0500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R3168

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 1930LT on September 29 on an operation to Leipzig. It ran out of fuel and crashed at 0500LT in Simonsbath, Somerset. The air gunner was killed and five other occupants were injured.
Crew:
P/O F. H. Denton,
Sgt A. A. Orrock,
Sgt J. F. Farquhar,
Sgt L. A. Hayter,
Sgt A. E. White,
P/O Edward Arthur Jelley, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Chilton Polden: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1940 at 0445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

X2914

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Finningley - Finningley

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The airplane departed RAF Finningley in the evening of September 26 on a mine laying mission. While returning the following morning, it ran out of fuel. There was thick mist at the time and the pilot thought he was over the water, the liferaft was found in the field nearby. When he emerged from the mist he was very close to the ground and crash landed in a field located in Chilton Polden. The pilot was uninjured while three other crew members were killed after they parachuted at very low level prior to the crash.
Crew:
Sgt Wally Huggins, pilot,
Sgt Eric Henry William Shelfer, pilot, †
Sgt Bernard Harvey, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt James Joseph Aloysius Bogue, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to a fuel exhaustion.