Mid-air collision Accident English Electric Canberra B(I)6 WT315, Monday 15 January 1962
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Date:Monday 15 January 1962
Time:morning
Type:Silhouette image of generic CNBR model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
English Electric Canberra B(I)6
Owner/operator:213 (Ceylon) Sqn RAF
Registration: WT315
MSN: 71463
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:4
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:near Beesten, Kreis Lingen -   Germany
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Brüggen
Destination airport:
Narrative:
During formation flying WT310 went above WT315 to photograph it. Both crews lost sight of each other and collided. WT315 crashed near Beesten, Kreis Lingen. Both crew on WT310 were killed, the pilot and navigator of WT315 ejected safely. In addision, three further crew members were killed. One carrying four, the other three occupants. One disinterated in the air and parts fell to the ground in an area of three kms. The other burned out in a field.

Pilot F/L G. Willis ejected through canopy at 800-1,000ft, 200-300 Knots IAS, and navigator F/O M.F. Whittingham also ejected at 800-1,000ft, 200-300 Knots IAS.

Sources:

Borkener Zeitung 16 January 1962, p7
https://www.ukserials.com/losses-1962.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20170421194548/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1962.htm#jan

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
10-Jan-2009 11:55 ASN archive Added
11-Apr-2013 20:36 Dr. John Smith Updated [Date, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
11-Apr-2013 20:37 Dr. John Smith Updated
28-May-2013 20:30 Nepa Updated [Aircraft type, ]
28-May-2013 20:39 Nepa Updated [Operator, Narrative, ]
09-Dec-2015 17:36 JINX Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, ]
07-Jan-2016 20:27 Heil Updated [Operator, ]
03-Nov-2019 10:52 Anon. Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
29-Jul-2025 14:46 TB Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]

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