No fatalities

Twin-engine aircraft shot down and ditched in North Sea (N9731)

Texel Island, NetherlandsFlight

On May 25, 1940, an Avro 652 Anson (registration N9731) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Texel Island, Netherlands in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was shot down by enemy fire. 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 twin-engine aircraft was hit by enemy fire and forced to ditch in the North Sea near Texel Island. All four crew members were successfully rescued from the water.

What happened

During its flight, a twin-engine airplane came under attack from hostile forces. The aircraft sustained damage from enemy fire, which necessitated an emergency landing in the water. The crew executed a ditching maneuver approximately 24 kilometers off the coast of Texel Island in the North Sea. Following the impact with the water, all four individuals on board were recovered and rescued.

Findings

The official investigation determined that the incident was caused by external hostile action rather than mechanical failure or pilot error. The primary factor leading to the loss of control and subsequent ditching was the direct hit from enemy fire.

Probable cause

The aircraft was shot down by enemy fire.