6 fatalities

Aircraft shot down over the Scilly Islands (G-ACPY)

Scilly Islands, United KingdomFlight

On June 3, 1941, a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon (registration G-ACPY) operated by Great Western & Southern Air Lines was involved in an aviation accident near Scilly Islands, United Kingdom in flight. 6 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was shot down by a German fighter. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 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 carrying six occupants was shot down by a German military plane while flying from the Scilly Islands to Saint-Just, resulting in the deaths of all on board.

What happened

The incident occurred during a flight departing from Saint Mary's, Scilly Islands with a destination of Saint-Just. The aircraft was transporting a pilot and five passengers who were returning from a holiday period at the islands. While airborne over the waters near the Scilly Islands, the plane came under fire from a German Heinkel He.111. The attack caused the aircraft to crash into the sea.

All six individuals on board perished in the accident. Among the victims were five members of the same family group. The passenger manifest included the pilot and four other relatives, along with one additional female passenger who was related to the main family unit by being the mother of one of the passengers. The aircraft was noted to be wearing a camouflage color scheme at the time of the incident.

Findings

Official records indicate that the direct cause of the accident was the interception and destruction of the civilian aircraft by a German military fighter. No other mechanical failures or operational errors were cited as contributing factors in the available source material.

Probable cause

The aircraft was shot down by a German fighter.