West Sussex

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Thorney Island - Thorney Island

MSN:

YOM:

1941

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On final approach to RAF Thorney Island, one (maybe two) engine lost power. The aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway. While all three crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (86th Squadron):
Sgt John Murray,
P/O Ronald Harwood,
P/O Alfred W. Dungate.

Probable cause:

Loss of power on one or two engine on final approach.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III at RAF Thorney Island

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W8388

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1440LT on an operation to Le Havre. Hit by the German Flak over the target area, it subsequently crashed upon landing after it diverted to RAF Thorney Island. All three crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt Barker, pilot,
F/Sgt Attwood, observer,
Sgt Hastings, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Attacked by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7 Boston III at RAF Tangmere: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AL268

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

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Schedule:

Attlebridge - Attlebridge

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The airplane departed RAF Attlebridge at 1431LT on an operation to Le Havre. While returning to base, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and two crew members bailed out over The Channel. The airplane then crashed upon landing at RAF Tangmere. The pilot was injured and the bodies of both other occupants were never recovered.
Crew:
Sgt W. D. Wren, pilot,
Sgt Thomas William Elliott,
Sgt William Venn Frame.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc I off Worthing: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BD124

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Ford - Ford

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The crew were conducting a night test flight out from RAF Ford when the airplane crashed for unknown reasons into the sea off Worthing. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Norman Cox, pilot,
F/Sgt Drummond Chapman,
F/Sgt Douglas John Parr,
Sgt John Raymond Sullivan.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc I at RAF Ford

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BB890

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

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Schedule:

Ford - Ford

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The pilot was completing a night solo training exercise at RAF Ford. While circling in the vicinity of the airfield, he inadvertently feathered both propellers, causing the airplane to crashed in a field east of the airbase. The pilot was uninjured.

Probable cause:

The pilot mistakenly feathered both propellers in flight.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in East Grinstead

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

V4041

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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The crew was completing a training exercise out from RAF Waddington when he was forced to make an emergency landing for unknown reasons. The airplane crash landed in East Grinstead, ran into a hedge and came to rest. There were no injuries among the crew.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc I at RAF Ford: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1941 at 0120 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AX929

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Ford - Ford

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The airplane departed RAF Ford at 2300LT on August 29 on an operation to Evreux. Following an uneventful mission, the crew returned to his base. During the landing rollout, a 'hung bomb' that had failed to release over the target dropped and exploded. The observer was killed and two other crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Donald James Smith, observer, †
F/O S. B. Demier,
Sgt McDermott.

Probable cause:

Explosion of a bomb load.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc II at RAF Ford

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1941 at 2320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AH523

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ford - Ford

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The crew was returning to RAF Ford following a night patrol operation. After landing in poor weather conditions, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, lost its nose gear and came to rest. It was damaged beyond repair and both crew members escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc II at RAF Ford

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AH506

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site: