List of aviation accidents and incidents in the Channel Islands facts for kids

The Channel Islands are a group of islands off the coast of France. Like any busy place with airports, they have had their share of aviation accidents and incidents over the years. This article tells you about some of these events, from the early days of flying in the 1910s right up to the 2010s. It's a look back at how planes have sometimes had trouble landing, taking off, or flying in the skies around these islands.

Early Flights (1910s-1930s)

First Incidents

• May 1917, Guernsey: A French seaplane, which is a plane that can land on water, crashed near Saint Peter Port. Sadly, the pilot passed away.

Planes in the 1930s

• June 29, 1936, Alderney: A de Havilland DH.84 Dragon plane called Rozel Bay was landing at Alderney Airport with six passengers. The pilot, who was new, went too far on the runway. The plane hit a bank, breaking a propeller and damaging its landing gear. Luckily, no one was hurt, and the plane was fixed and flew again soon after.
• July 31, 1936, Guernsey to Jersey: A Saro A.19 Cloud amphibian plane named "Cloud of Iona" disappeared during a stormy flight from Guernsey to Jersey. All ten people on board sadly died. Investigators believe the plane had to land in the sea because its engines lost power, and then waves swamped it.
• November 4, 1938, Jersey: A DH.86 G-ACZN "St. Catherine's Bay" crashed near Jersey Airport shortly after taking off for Southampton. All 13 people on the plane, plus one person on the ground, were killed.

World War II (1940s)

During the German occupation of the Channel Islands from 1940 to 1945, regular flights stopped. However, many British and German (Luftwaffe) planes crashed in and around the islands. Over 139 Allied aircrew lost their lives. There's a memorial at Guernsey Airport to remember them.

Air Crashes During the War

Many planes crashed during World War II due to combat, mechanical problems, or bad weather. Here are some examples:

• July 29, 1940, Guernsey: A German Heinkel He 111 plane crashed into the sea near Guernsey, but the crew survived.
• August 9, 1940, Guernsey: A German Messerschmitt Bf 109F crashed into a German anti-aircraft gun position at Guernsey Airport. Three gunners died.
• August 13, 1940, Guernsey: A German Junkers Ju 87R, damaged by a British Supermarine Spitfire, crashed into the sea near Guernsey. Both crew members died.
• August 23, 1940, Jersey: A German Junkers Ju 52 plane had engine trouble and crashed at Jersey Airport.
• September 25, 1940, Guernsey: A German Dornier Do 18 was shot down by a British Bristol Blenheim near Guernsey. Five crew members were seen in a life raft.
• October 16, 1940, Guernsey: A British Avro Anson plane on a photo mission landed in the sea west of Guernsey during a storm. The four crew members made it ashore in Guernsey and became prisoners of war.
• November 1, 1940, Jersey: A German Dornier Do 17P crashed into La Rocco Tower while trying to land at Jersey Airport. All four people on board died.
• November 7, 1940, Jersey: A German Junkers Ju 52 crashed and flipped over at Jersey Airport. More than 20 people, mostly pilots, were injured.
• November 19, 1940, Guernsey: A German Heinkel He 111 crashed on Crevichon near Jethou off Guernsey after an engine fire. Its bombs exploded, damaging buildings on Jethou, and all four crew members were killed.
• December 30, 1940, Alderney: A German Arado Ar 196 crashed on landing at Alderney due to bad weather.
• January 16, 1941, Jersey: A German Junkers Ju 52 crashed off St Catherines breakwater, Jersey.
• April 11/12, 1941, Guernsey: A British Hawker Hurricane ran out of fuel during a night flight. The pilot parachuted out and landed on Lihou Guernsey, becoming a prisoner of war.
• November 2, 1941, Alderney: A British Supermarine Spitfire crash-landed on Alderney. The pilot, Pilot Officer B.W. Meyer from the USA, was captured.
• November 18, 1942, Jersey: A British Supermarine Spitfire was hit by anti-aircraft fire over France and crash-landed in a field on Jersey. The French pilot, P/O Bernard Scheidhauer, was captured. The plane was sent to Germany for testing. The pilot was later executed after escaping from a prison camp.
• November 23, 1942, Sark: A British Avro Lancaster bomber crash-landed on Sark after running out of fuel. The crew thought they were landing on the Isle of Wight. All the crew members survived.
• December 7, 1942, Jersey: Two British Westland Whirlwind planes crashed south of Jersey after attacking ships. One pilot was killed.
• June 13, 1943, Guernsey: A British Lockheed Ventura was shot down by a German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 near Guernsey.
• June 13, 1943, Jersey: A British Supermarine Spitfire was shot down by a German Focke-Wulf Fw 190. The pilot managed to paddle ashore in Jersey.
• June 15, 1943, Sark: A British Supermarine Spitfire crashed north of Sark during a patrol.
• June 15, 1943, Sark: A British Westland Whirlwind exploded and crashed north of Sark after sinking a German ship.
• December 31, 1943, Guernsey: Two American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers were damaged by fighters and anti-aircraft fire. They both landed in the sea near Guernsey. Some crew members were rescued, but others died or became prisoners of war.
• February 7, 1944, Jersey: An American Mustang P-51B fighter plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Saint Ouen, Jersey. The pilot parachuted out, was injured, and became a prisoner of war.
• March 7, 1944, Guernsey: A German Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4 crashed in Castel, Guernsey. The pilot was killed.
• June 2, 1944, Guernsey: A British Supermarine Spitfire was shot down by anti-aircraft fire near Guernsey. The American pilot parachuted out and became a prisoner of war.
• June 7, 1944, Sark: A British Supermarine Spitfire was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the sea southeast of Sark. The pilot did not survive.
• June 8, 1944, Jersey: An American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire over France and landed in the sea west of Jersey. The crew was found by British planes, and a motorboat was dropped by parachute to help them escape safely.
• June 14, 1944, Jersey: A British Hawker Typhoon crashed on Jersey. The Belgian pilot was killed.
• June 19, 1944, Alderney: An American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress F was hit by anti-aircraft fire from Alderney and landed in the sea.
• July 17, 1944, Guernsey: An American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress G crash-landed in Guernsey while on its way to France. The plane was later recovered.
• October 30, 1944, Jersey: An American Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport plane, already having technical problems, flew low over Jersey with its landing lights on, showing it was in trouble. German anti-aircraft guns held fire for a bit, but then opened fire, and the plane crashed into the sea near Bouley Bay. Only one person survived.
• January 7, 1945, Jersey: An American Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane got lost and crashed into cliffs southwest of Jersey. The wounded pilot parachuted out and was rescued from St Brelades Bay by a lifeboat, with help from a local civilian, John De La Haye, who was later given a special medal for his bravery.

After the War

• June 13, 1945, Guernsey: An American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress plane, being used to transport soldiers going home, had a landing accident at Guernsey Airport. It was damaged but no one was seriously hurt.
• June 14, 1947, Jersey: A British Airspeed Consul plane crashed on landing at Jersey Airport. It was repaired and continued flying.

Mid-Century Flights (1950s-1960s)

Planes in the 1950s

• February 5, 1951, Jersey: An Avro Anson plane carrying newspapers landed short of the runway at Jersey Airport in fog. The pilot and co-pilot survived, but the plane was too damaged to fly again.
• 1951, Jersey:
  

  A de Havilland Dragon Rapide plane, similar to the one that overshot the runway in Jersey in 1951.

A de Havilland Dragon Rapide plane went too far on the runway at Jersey Airport. The plane survived and was later registered in other countries.

• September 22, 1953, Guernsey: A British European Airways Douglas C-47 Skytrain plane crashed into a hedge while landing at Guernsey Airport. No one was injured.
• September 15, 1954, Guernsey: A Royal Air Force Short Sunderland seaplane hit a hidden rock while landing and sank at Saint Peter Port.
• November 2, 1957, Guernsey: A Royal Air Force Vickers Valetta plane hit an embankment and a building, causing its landing gear to break, while landing at Guernsey Airport.
• August 15, 1958, Guernsey: A Jersey Airlines de Havilland Heron plane crash-landed on the grass next to the runway at Guernsey Airport and ended up on the road. The pilot was not hurt, but the plane was too damaged to be fixed.

Planes in the 1960s

• November 1, 1961, Guernsey: A Silver City Airways Bristol Freighter plane crashed while trying to land at Guernsey Airport. It had problems with its propeller. Sadly, both pilots died, but the other eight people on board survived.
• September 26, 1963, Guernsey: A British United Air Ferries Bristol Superfreighter plane went off the end of the runway at Guernsey Airport after engine problems. None of the three crew and one passenger were hurt, but the plane was too damaged to be fixed.
• April 14, 1965, Jersey: British United Airways Flight 1030X, a Douglas Dakota plane, crashed near Jersey Airport after a flight from Paris. Tragically, 27 of the 28 people on board died.
• August 26, 1966, Alderney: A private Piper PA-22-160 plane lost speed while turning to land at Alderney Airport. It crashed into the sea, and the pilot and two passengers drowned.
• May 29, 1969, Alderney: A United States Air Force Lockheed Hercules plane, on an unauthorized flight, was reportedly shot down by two fighter jets north of Alderney. The pilot, who was the only person on board, was killed.

Later Incidents (1970s-2010s)

Planes in the 1970s

• August 6, 1970, Jersey: A Beagle B.206 plane crashed at Corbière after taking off from Jersey Airport. The pilot was killed.
• December 24, 1974, Jersey: A British Island Airways Handley Page Dart Herald plane had a landing accident at Jersey Airport. All 53 passengers and crew were safe.
• September 14, 1975, Guernsey: A Vickers Viscount plane made a hard landing at Guernsey Airport, causing its nose wheel to collapse. None of the 78 passengers or crew were hurt.

Planes in the 1980s

• October 1, 1980, Jersey: A private Cessna Citation plane crashed while approaching Jersey Airport. The pilot, who was the only person on board, died.
• September 18, 1981, Guernsey: A Jersey European Airways Britten-Norman Islander plane crashed while trying to land at Guernsey Airport after one of its engines stopped. The pilot tried to land in a field but hit a stone wall. None of the nine passengers or crew were killed, but the pilot was badly injured. The accident happened because the plane ran out of fuel in one engine, as the pilot had to use a different plane than planned.
• October 3, 1981, Guernsey: A private Partenavia P.68 plane crashed into the sea southeast of Guernsey after one of its engines failed at night. The plane was never found, and all five people on board died.
• September 16, 1982, Alderney: A private Wassmer WA-41 plane crashed into the sea north of Alderney.

Planes in the 1990s

• May 23, 1995, Jersey: A Brymon Airways De Havilland Canada Dash 8 plane hit its tail on the runway at Jersey Airport during landing. The tail was damaged, but none of the 4 crew and 44 passengers were hurt.
• December 7, 1997, Guernsey: An AirUK F-27-500F plane went off the end of the runway at Guernsey Airport while landing in strong crosswinds. It ended up in a nearby field with its left landing gear broken. All 50 passengers and 4 crew were safe, but the plane was too damaged to be fixed.
• June 12, 1998, Jersey: A private Piper PA-31 Navajo plane ran out of fuel and landed in the sea northwest of Jersey. The pilot, who was the only person on board, died.
• January 12, 1999, Guernsey: A Channel Express F-27-600F cargo plane crashed and caught fire while approaching Guernsey Airport. It was incorrectly loaded, which affected its balance. The fire spread to two nearby homes, killing the pilots and injuring one person on the ground.

Planes in the 2000s

• June 5, 2001, Jersey: A Channel Express cargo flight from Jersey Airport had an engine fire shortly after takeoff. The Fokker F-27 Friendship plane landed safely back at Jersey, and none of the three crew members were hurt.
• October 13, 2001, Sark: A small Europa XS 912 light aircraft had an engine failure and crash-landed on Little Sark. The two people on board were not hurt, but the plane was too damaged to be fixed.
• March 8, 2006, Guernsey: A HS748 Series 2a plane went off the end of the runway at Guernsey Airport. No one was injured. The accident happened because the pilots didn't use the propeller controls correctly, which meant the plane didn't slow down enough. The plane's body is now used for diving practice in a quarry.
• August 23, 2009, Alderney: A private Piper Saratoga plane crashed due to strong air currents (turbulence) caused by nearby cliffs while approaching Alderney Airport. The pilot and three passengers had minor injuries.

Planes in the 2010s

• November 12, 2011, Alderney: A Piper PA-28-181 Archer II plane landed in the sea near the Casquettes, northwest of Alderney. The reason for the accident is not known. One passenger was rescued, but the pilot was not found.
• March 27, 2012, Alderney: A Britten-Norman Trislander plane had an engine failure during a flight from Alderney Airport to Southampton. The plane returned safely to Alderney.
• June 16, 2012, Jersey: An ATR 42 plane had a landing gear problem while landing. No one was hurt, but the plane was too damaged to be fixed.
• November 3, 2013, Jersey: A Britten-Norman Islander plane on a search and rescue mission had fuel problems, leading to a crash landing on the north coast of Jersey. No one was injured.
• June 17, 2014, Guernsey: A Socata TB10 plane taking off from Guernsey Airport had a mechanical problem and hit a greenhouse shortly after becoming airborne. The plane was too damaged to be fixed, but no one was injured.
• January 21, 2019, Alderney: A Piper PA-46 plane disappeared from radar screens and crashed near Les Casquets, northwest of Alderney. The famous Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala was on board, flying from Nantes to Cardiff. The plane's wreckage was found thirteen days later deep on the seabed. On February 7, Sala's body was recovered. The pilot was not found. An investigation later concluded that Emiliano Sala died instantly from head and body injuries and was deeply unconscious when the plane crashed after breaking up in mid-air.

Recent Incidents (2020s)

• April 23, 2024, Guernsey: A De Havilland Canada Dash 8 plane, arriving from London Gatwick, went off the end of runway 27 when landing at Guernsey Airport. None of the 63 passengers and 4 crew were injured. They got off the plane on the grass and were taken to the terminal by bus. The plane seemed undamaged. The airport was closed for two hours while crews dealt with the plane. An investigation is looking into what caused the incident.

Images for kids

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