4 fatalities

RAF Detling departure crash in North Sea with no wreckage found (N5226)

North Sea, WorldFlight

On June 28, 1940, an Avro 652 Anson (registration N5226) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near North Sea, World in flight. 4 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft departed RAF Detling and crashed into the North Sea under unknown circumstances. No trace of the plane or its crew was ever recovered.

What happened

The flight originated from RAF Detling. During the operation, the aircraft encountered a fatal incident resulting in a crash into the North Sea. The specific sequence of events leading to the loss remains undocumented, as the accident occurred in unknown circumstances. Following the impact, extensive search efforts failed to locate any debris or wreckage. Consequently, no trace of the aircraft was ever found, leaving the exact details of the final moments unresolved.

Findings

Due to the absence of physical evidence and the lack of recovered wreckage, a definitive technical analysis could not be performed. The investigation concluded that the cause of the accident remained undetermined because no material from the crash site was available for examination.