Date:	Monday 20 November 1939
Time:	16:30
Type:	Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Owner/operator:	101 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L4887
MSN:	SR-G
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	field at Wall 3 miles SW of RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF West Raynham, Norfolk
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Blenheim L4887/G: Took off for Training flight. 20/11/1939
Crew became lost flying in haze and approaching darkness during a long distance navigation training flight and were unable to obtain D/F bearings. Aircraft crash-landed in a field at Wall, three miles south-west of RAF Lichfield (Staffordshire) and overturned at 16:30 hrs.
Force landed 3 miles SW of RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire. No fatalities, but two of the three crew were injured.
The official Air Ministry file on the accident (File AIR 81/1674): "Blenheim L4887, 101 Squadron; aircraft accident, 20 November 1939;
Crew:
P/O (41453) Charles Philip Nelson NEWMAN (pilot) RAF : uninjured;
LAC (530384) Percival Eric JOHNSON (Obs) RAF : slightly injured and taken to Victoria Hospital, Lichfield
LAC (621138) Frederick John MANTLE (WOp/AG) RAF : slightly injured and taken to Victoria Hospital, Lichfield

1.Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 31)
2.National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/1674: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16359505
3.http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1930-1939_35.html
4.ORB 101 Sqdn RAF

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


18 July 1940	P6924	101 Sqn RAF	3	Missing - English Channel		w/o
28 April 1941	V5493	101 Sqn RAF	3	English Channel near Calais		w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Jun-2019 01:11	Dr. John Smith	Added
25-Jun-2019 05:49	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, ]
02-Jan-2021 18:32	Heil	Updated [Location, Operator, ]
17-Jul-2024 20:47	Nepa	Updated [Time, Location, Narrative, Operator, ]