No fatalities

Training Aircraft Crash in English Channel (K8749)

Sidmouth, United KingdomFlight

On March 22, 1939, an Avro 652 Anson (registration K8749) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Sidmouth, United Kingdom in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Double engine failure resulting from fuel exhaustion. 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

A training aircraft lost control and crashed into the sea off Sidmouth during a mission over The Channel, resulting in unknown casualties.

What happened

During a training mission conducted over The Channel, the crew experienced a loss of control. The incident occurred while the aircraft was operating in the vicinity of Sidmouth. Following the loss of control, the machine impacted the water surface and crashed into the sea. As of the available records, the specific fate of those on board remains unknown.

Findings

Official investigations determined that the accident was precipitated by a double engine failure. This mechanical issue was directly caused by fuel exhaustion, which led to the subsequent loss of control and the maritime impact.

Probable cause

Double engine failure resulting from fuel exhaustion.