This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Saturday 6 July 1940 |
| Time: | 23:25 LT |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 106 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L4181 |
| MSN: | ZN-Y |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | RAF Finningley, South Yorkshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Finningley, South Yorkshire |
| RAF Finningley |
On 6/7/40 this 106 Squadron aircraft made a fast landing at Finningley airfield at 23:25 hours following a night flying exercise and ran into the overshoot area. Around Finningley airfield at this time were a number of tented camps, so dispersed because of the fear of air-raids and sadly the aircraft crashed through one of these groups of tents and struck a number of people in the process.
The tent the aircraft struck held members of a defence gun crew; three men were killed and two others were injured. The aircraft was initially believed repairable but later deemed beyond repair and the Hampden's crew escaped injury.
Hampden L4181 was built to contract 549267/36 by Handley Page Ltd. at the Radlett factory and was awaiting collection in May 1939. It was delivered to 106 Squadron based at Thornaby the same month when the unit began converting to Hampdens from Battles. It then moved with this unit to Evanton on 19th August 1939, then to Cottesmore on 1st September 1939 and to Finningley on 6th October 1939. After the incident detailed above in July 1940 Cat.W/FA damage was recorded and it was written off.
Pilot - Pilot Officer George Alfred Campfield Potts RAF (Service Number 43943) - unhurt
Other Crew of Hampden L4181 - Names unknown.
Ground Fatalities:
AC.2 Patrick Joseph Curry RAF (573507), aged 19, of Cloonlee, Knock, Co.Mayo, Irish Republic. Buried Finningley Churchyard, Yorkshire.
AC.2 Granville John Higgs RAF (649099), aged 19, of Pentwynmawr, Newbridge, Wales. Buried Mynyddislwyn Churchyard, Monmouthshire, Wales.
AC.2 Matthew Cook RAF (620895), aged 20, of Newtown, Cramlington. Buried Cramlington New Cemetery, Seaton Valley, Northumberland.
AC.2 F Burrow. Injured.
Corporal W Dobson. Injured.
Sources:
1. Air-Britain: Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-N9999
2. http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/17433.php
3. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york40/l4181.html
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2702936/curry,-patrick-joseph/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2448102/higgs,-granville-john/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2810669/cook,-matthew/
7. https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/hampden/29957-RAF12219.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Aug-2008 01:36 | Anon. | Added |
| 09-Aug-2013 11:21 | JINX | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
| 01-Sep-2013 19:23 | JINX | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Narrative, ] |
| 29-Jun-2018 21:38 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 27-Oct-2018 20:53 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator, ] |
| 15-May-2024 21:32 | Nepa | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Operator, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation