1942 Ruislip Wellington accident

The 1942 Ruislip Wellington accident occurred on 18 October 1942 when a Vickers Wellington 1C medium bomber of No. 311 Squadron RAF crashed near South Ruislip station, Middlesex, on approach to RAF Northolt. The crash killed all 15 people aboard the aircraft, and six civilians on the ground including four children.[1]

1942 Ruislip Wellington accident
A Vickers Wellington IC in flight
Accident
Date18 October 1942
SiteRuislip, London, England
Aircraft
Aircraft typeVickers Wellington 1C
OperatorNo. 311 Squadron RAF
RegistrationT2564 (KX-T)
Flight originRAF Talbenny, Wales
DestinationRAF Northolt, England
Passengers9
Crew6
Fatalities21 (six on ground)
Survivors0

Flight

311 Squadron was a Coastal Command unit based at RAF Talbenny in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Almost all of its personnel were Free Czechoslovaks serving in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. After a successful operation by the squadron they were invited to London for a de-brief.[2] On 18 October 1942 Wellington serial number T2564, code letters KX-T,[3] was flown by P/O František Bulis with a crew of six and nine passengers. Everyone aboard was Czechoslovak, apart from one Belgian technician.[4]

Crash and fatalities

On approach to RAF Northolt at 16:08 the Wellington crashed near South Ruislip station, bursting into flames on impact.[5] All the crew and passengers were killed, along with six people on the ground: two women each with two children.[6]

All but one of the crew are buried in the Czechoslovak section of Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey. The Reays and the Streets are buried in St Nicholas' parish churchyard, Brockenhurst.[7]

Inquest

As well as a service inquiry an inquest was held at Uxbridge, Middlesex into the deaths of the two sisters and their four children. The aircraft was deemed to have been serviceable and not overloaded. A witness at Northolt said it was flying quite normally: "It made a quarter circle, gradually losing height. Then it appeared to lose height rather more quickly and disappeared behind some houses". The Coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.[8]

See also

References
  1. "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 66571". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  2. Osolsobě, Jiří (1990). Zbylo nás devět (in Czech) (2nd ed.). Praha: Naše vojsko. pp. 163–166. ISBN 80-206-0207-0.
  3. Loucký, František (1989). Mnozí nedoletěli (in Czech). Praha: Naše vojsko. p. 65. ISBN 80-206-0053-1.
  4. Vančata, Pavel (2013). 311 Squadron. Sandomierz: Stratus, for Mushroom Model Publications. p. 51. ISBN 978-83-61421-43-6.
  5. "18 Killed in Air Accident". The Times. London. 19 October 1942. p. 4. The Times Digital Archive, accessed 30 December 2013
  6. "Nineteen Dead in Air Accident". The Times. London. 20 October 1942. p. 2. The Times Digital Archive, accessed 30 December 2013
  7. "Ruislip 'Plane Crash Victims – Mothers and Children Buried". Western Gazette. 30 October 1942.
  8. "Northolt Air Accident". The Times. London. 24 October 1942. p. 2. The Times Digital Archive, accessed 30 December 2013

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