Rhodesian Air Force
Aircraft Accidents and Incidents

3 May 1951

Tiger Moth SR 39

During aerobatic practice I did a roll off the top of a loop (an Immelmann turn). The engine stopped and a spiral dive failed to re-start it. The only potential landing site was short with a rock outcrop. I landed but ran on into the rock. In summary a crash landing following engine failure.

Douglas Bailey

21 Nov 1951

Auster J/5 SR 55

Lt W J Henson

7 Dec 1951

Spitfire Mk22 (PK344)

Crashed on ferry light to SRAF at Auvilliers, Loiret.
The aircraft one of a formation was on its way to Dijon, which ran into cloud near Chantilly”

Sgt Owen Love, killed

16 Dec 1951

Spitfire Mk22 (PK482)

Lt D Richards

21 Aug 1956

Vampire
RRAF 110

Vampire crashed south of New Sarum

Walter Garrett, Killed
8 SSU

6th May 1959

Vampire
FB 9

Collission during Formation Aerobatics Practise
Click here for a full account.

Colin Graves, Killed
 

04.02.63

Provost T52

Killed while carrying out unauthorised low flying over the Salisbury Snake Park.

Terry Ryan

22.06.63

Vampire FB9

Having "flamed-out" the Goblin Engine, (probably in a stall-turn manoeuvre) and with no acceptable "forced landing" field available in the Selukwe Area, McKerron had no option other than to attempt to "Bail out!" He was killed in the attempt.

Bruce McKerron

21.12.64

Vampire FB9

Henry had not felt well all day (Montezumas' Revenge) but did not report "Sick".
He launched on a night-flying training sortie (maybe marginal Guti weather) and failed to "Check" at the minimum Approach Altitude. He flew into the ground several miles short of the Runway at Thornhill.

Elliott H.G.

22.03.65

Provost
RRAF306

Ex Broken Arrow Tjolojo/Nyamandlovu
Crashed during a low-level barrel-roll tail chase manoeuvre.

KOAS:Pilot Officer Barry Matthews
Chief Technician Sandy Trenoweth

22.07.68

Allouette III
R7509

Flt M. J. Grier
M/Tech D. G. Theobald

06.09.68

Canberra B2
R2509

Sabi River
A/C struck overhead wire

Fg Off P. W. L. Woolcock
A Plt Off I. B. Thomas

25.11.68

Vampire T11
R2412

Selukwe
Fire Warning
Ejected

Flt Lt J. Barnes
Fg Off G. Munton-Jackson

07.01.69

Cessna 185
R115

Kutanga Range
Low level aerobatics

Lt J. H. van Heerden (killed)
Flt Lt D. Annandale (killed)

16.05.69

Provost
R3609

Gwenora Dam

Plt Off R. G. Beaver
Snr Tech B. Johnson

05.07.69

Trojan
R3421

Bumi River airfield

Fg Off B. A. Penton
Cpl M. M. Jamison

23.07.69

Provost
R3609

Thornhill
Frantan exploded on ground badly injuring Bob Breakwell, Station Armament Officer

Aircrew: Flt Lt P. Geldenhuis
Flt Lt C. White
Armourers at a/c: FG Off J. R. Breakwell
Cpl S. Stead, Cpl I. Flemming

26.08.69

Provost
R3062

Near Thornhill

Fg Off G. W. Wrigley
Off Cdt M. R. Hill

28.10.69

Canberra B2
R5212

Wankie National Park
Ran out of fuel in bad weather

Plt Off R. G. Stagman
Fg Ogg D. C. Postance

01.07.70

Allouette III
R5117

New Sarum

Sqn Ldr G. E. Nettleton (killed)
Flt Lt M. R. Hill (killed)

12.10.70

Allouette III
R7506

Rushinga area

Flt Lt V. B. W. Cook
Sgt K. Smithdorff

28.10.70

Hunter FGA9
R1823

Bulowayo airport
Flame-out broken fuel pipe

Air Lt A. R. Bruce

04.11.70

Allouette III
R5074

Charara Camp

Air Lt B. A. Roberts
Flt Lt G. W. Wrigley
WO2 C. Tapping

16.11.71

Canberra B2
R2510

New Sarum
Aircraft shed wing

Flt Lt A. G. Roughhead (killed)
Air Lt G. N. Robertson (killed)

17.10.72

Allouette III
R5077

Gwelo area
Disorientation in rain at night

Air Lt G. Munton-Jackson (killed)
Flt Sgt P. J. Gardener (killed)

04.08.72

Vampire T11
R4222

Thornhill
Engine failure after take off

Air Sub Lt D. D. Brown (killed)

15.02.73

Allouette III
R7500

Rushinga
Aircraft hit tree

Air Lt J. E. Smart (killed)
Sgt K. Smithdorff (killed)

04.09.73

Vampire T11
R4219

Near Selukwe

Air Sub Lt P. M. Bate

19.11.73

Allouette III
R5087

Near Mt Darwin
Aircraft hit telephone wires

Sqn Ldr E. R. Wilkinson
Flt Sgt D. Woods
Sgt W. Huck (Army)

04.04.74

Canberra B2
R2156

Near Musengedzi
Bombs expolded in bomb bay

Air Sub Lt K. W. Goddard (killed)
Air Sub Lt W. R. Airey (killed)

14.04.74

Trojan
R3244

Mozambique
Aircraft hit by SAM7

Flt Lt B. C. Weinman (killed)
SAC R. R. Durrett (killed)

20.04.74

Trojan
R3427

Mozambique
Aircraft hit by SAM7

Air Sub Lt R. J. Wilson (killed)
Flt Sgt R. S. Andrews (killed)

14.08.74

Allouette III

Madziwa
Aircraft hit by RPG on the ground

Lt H. Houghton
A/Sgt R. H. Wernich

Maj. E. C. Adams (killed)

16.08.74

Provost
R6308

Aircraft struck ditch on runway

Flt lt S. Baldwin
Off Cdt J. C. Phillips

17.12.74

Trojan
R4326

Mushumbi Pools
Aircraft struck vehicle at night

Air Lt. B. Murdock (killed)
Cpl T. M. Perker (killed)
L/Cpl R. J. Povey (killed)

21.02.75

Dakota
R7307

Rushinga
Aircraft ground looped after brake failure

Flt Lt E. H. Paintin
Flt Lt F. Wingrove (VR)
Sgt J. Mitchell

30.06.75

Vampire T11
R4223

Gwelo area

Off Cdt B. M. Delport (killed)

19.06.75

Provost
R6309

Gwelo area. No 2 in Tailchase. Crashed, reason uncertain.

Air Sub Lt R. J. Boulter (killed)

23.12.75

Allouette III
R5697

Umtali area
Aircraft hit overhead wires

2 Lt van Rensberg
Sgt P. van Rensberg (killed)
Maj Gen J. R. Shaw (killed)
Col D. G. Parker (killed)
Capt I. A. B. Robertson (killed)
Capt M. J. Lamb (killed)

16.02.76

Cessna 185
R116

Umtali area
Aircraft took off overweight

2 Lt Stroebel

Sqn Ldr G. A. Routledge(killed)

20.04.76

Trojan
R3425

Motoko area
Engine failure at night

Air Lt I. Sheffield

10.06.76

Hunter
R1280

Near Thornhill
Bullet severed hydrauklic line

Flt Lt. T. M. Thomas

18.07.76

Allouette III

Tech killed by ground fire

Flt Lt M. Borlace

Sgt J. P. Graham (killed)

25.07.76

Allouette III
R5076

Near Rutenga
Aircraft hit trees
Photo

Flt Lt M. Borlace
Sgt Graydon

01.09.76

Allouette III

Tech killed by ground fire

Flt Lt I. M. Harvey
Sgt H. F. Belstead (killed)

02.09.76

Lynx
R3413

NE Mozambuque Border
Aircraft hit by ground fire

Air Lt. H. W. H. Stevens (killed)

19.10.76

Allouette III
R5723

Fort Victoria area
Tail rotor failure

Flt Lt M. Borlace
Sgt Davel

21.10.76

Vampire
R1833

QueQue area

Flt Lt R. R. Hulley (killed)

04.11.76

Beech Baron
R7310

Buffalo Range
Undercarriage collapse

Flt Lt M. J. Russell

22.12.76

Allouette III
R7524

Malapati area

Flt Lt V. B. W. Cook
Sgt M. Upton

06.01.77

Dakota
D7034

Buffalo Range area
Aircraft flew into overhead wire

Sqn Ldr P. A. Barnett (killed)
Flt Lt D. E. Mallett (killed)
Cpl A. Bradley (army)(killed)

12.01.77

Canberra B2
R2514

Malvernia area
Bom bay hit by ground fire

Flt Lt I. H. Donaldson (killed)
Air Sub Lt D. Hawkes (killed)
Capt R.S.S. Warracker (army) (killed)

13.01.77

Vampire T11
R1318

Gwelo area
Engine failure

Air Sub Lt N. Lamb

14.03.77

Lynx
R4311

Motoko area
Aircraft crashed on take off at night

Air Lt J. Kidson
Lt Col B. Robinson (Army)

17.03.77

Allouette III
R5172

Mrewa area
Aircraft hit wires

Flt Lt M. Mulligan
Cpl Fletcher

04.05.77

Lynx
R4306

Umtali area
Aircraft flew into rising ground

Air Sub Lt R.H. Griffiths

AC C.W.D. Brown (killed)

17.05.77

Allouette III
R5725

Aircraft hit by ground fire

Flt Lt R. J. Watt

SAC R.G. Nelson (killed)

31.05.77

Dakota
R3702

Mapai area on Op Aztec
Aircraft hit by RPG on take off

Flt Lt B. Collocott (killed)

Flt Lt. G. Lynch

23.08.77

Allouette III
R5713

East Grand Reef area
Aircraft hit by ground fire

Flt Lt G. A. Oborne
Sgt Robinson

02.09.77

Lynx
R3042

Umtali area
aircraft flew into ground

Air Lt D. L. du Plessis (killed)
Sgt J. S. Underwood (killed)

10.10.77

Allouette III
R5176

Air Lt. I. Peacock
SAC Watt

23.11.77

Vampire
R1386

Motoko Area Hit by ground fire.

Air Lt. P. W. Haige (killed)

12.01.78

Allouette III
R5757

Mtoko Area. Hit by ground fire

Flt Lt Maasdorp
Flt Sgt H. A. J. Jarvie (killed)

12.01.78

Allouette III
R5701

Mtoko Area. Hit by ground fire.

Air Lt Goatley

Flt Sgt A. I. Flemming (killed)

15.02.78

Islander
R3718

Dorowa Airfield. Failed to take off

Flt Lt. B. van Huysteen

28.07.78

Allouette III
R5177

Chioco area. Hit by RPG 7

Air Lt. G. H. F. du Toit (killed)
Sgt K. P. Nelson (killed)

22.08.78

Allouette III
R5773

Bindura area. Hit by ground fire

Flt Lt G. A. Oborne
Sgt B. Booth

20.10.78

Allouette III
R7531

Zambia. Hit by cannon fire.

Air Sub Lt. M. Dawson
Sgt P. Oelofse

07.12.78

Vampire
R8034

04.01.79

Allouette III
R5170

Gwenora Dam area. Mid air collision

Flt Lt. K. J.Fynn (killed)
Cpl A. H. W. Turner (killed)
Capt. D. Havnar (killed)

04.01.79

Allouette III
R5701

Gwenora Dam area. Mid air collision

Flt Lt R. Bolton

Cpl B. N. Cutmore (killed)

09.02.79

Bell 205
R6807

Melsetter. Tail rotor drive failure

Air Lt. B. Cockcroft, Keiron Meakin
Photo & Details

03.09.79

Bell 205
R6098

Mazambique Hit by RPG 7

Flt Lt R. Paxton
AC A. J. C. Wesson (killed)

04.09.79

SA330
SAAF 164

Mozambique. Hit by RPG 7

3 crew & 12 pax killed

26.09.79

Allouette III
R5705

Umtali Area. Hit power lines

Flt Lt. P. M. Bate (killed)
Sgt G. R. Carter (killed)

Capt B. Snelgar

03.10.79

Canberra B2
R5203

Mozambique. Hit by Ground fire.

Flt Lt. K. Pienke (killed)
Flt Lt. J. J. Strydom (killed)

03.10.79

Hunter
R1821

Mozambique. Flew into target

Air Lt Gordon (killed)

19.10.79

Allouette III
R5723

Hit by ground fire.

Air Sub Lt. Middleton
Sgt J. Dent

25.11.79

Genet
R9092

Gwelo. Fuel starvation.

Wg Cdr H. C. S. Slatter

11.12.79

Bell 205
R6805

Tail rotor failure

Flt Lt R. Skinner

23.12.79

Genet
R6330

Todd's Motel. Crashed on convoy patrol.

Air Sub Lt S. Tickle

25.12.79

Allouette III
R5876

Mt Darwin area

Flt Lt A. J. Senekal (killed)

17.01.80

Bell 205
R6084

Heavy landing. Trooping

Flt Lt M. Vernon

17.12.80

Dakota
3711

Double Engine Failure on Airtest. Cat 5
Details on 3 Sqn's Gallery Page

Flt Lt Spider Webb
Air Lt Rob Rogerson
SAC Frans Fyfer