Investigation Summary
The flight was organized to transport two successful U-boat hunting crews to London on Czechoslovak Independence Day. One crew, led by Pilot Officer František Bulis, had damaged an unidentified U-boat on September 9, 1942. The second crew, led by Flight Lieutenant Václav Študent, had sunk U-165 on September 27, 1942, an engagement that resulted in their aircraft (Z1147) being damaged by Flak and two crew members being hospitalized, preventing them from joining this flight. On October 18, Bulis and his crew operated Wellington T2564, while Študent and his available crew members traveled as passengers alongside other squadron members and a Belgian transport officer. As the aircraft approached RAF Northolt from the west at approximately 16:00 hrs at an altitude of 500 to 600 feet, Bulis initiated a steep turn to port to align with the east-west runway. During this maneuver, the aircraft stalled and dived. At 16:08 hrs, a wing-tip struck Victoria Road, causing the bomber to flip onto waste ground where children were playing. The subsequent fire triggered the discharge of the aircraft's .303 machine gun ammunition, which hampered initial rescue efforts.
Final Conclusions
The service inquiry and civilian inquest concluded that the aircraft was fully serviceable and not overloaded at the time of the accident. The crash was attributed to a stall resulting from a steep turn performed at low altitude during the approach. The coroner at Uxbridge recorded a verdict of accidental death for the civilian victims.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Vickers Wellington 1C Geodetic Airframe
A medium bomber featuring a unique geodetic lattice structure designed by Barnes Wallis, which provided high structural integrity but was susceptible to fire following a low-altitude impact.
.303 Browning Machine Guns
Defensive armament whose ammunition detonated post-impact, creating a hazard for civilians and rescuers on the ground.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was carrying 15 personnel: 6 crew members and 9 passengers.
- 02All but one of the personnel on board were Free Czechoslovaks serving in the RAF Volunteer Reserve.
- 03The six ground fatalities consisted of two adult sisters and their four young daughters.
- 04The aircraft involved, serial T2564 (code KX-T), was confirmed to be mechanically sound prior to the crash.
- 05The accident occurred on Czechoslovak Independence Day.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Low-Altitude Maneuvering Restrictions
Following the inquiry into the stall at low altitude, the RAF reinforced training protocols regarding the dangers of steep turns during the final approach phase, particularly when configured with landing gear down at low airspeed.