No fatalities

Aircraft veers off runway during takeoff at Prestwick (R9561)

Prestwick, United KingdomTakeoff (climb)

On February 22, 1941, a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide (registration R9561) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Prestwick, United Kingdom during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. 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 airplane lost control during the takeoff roll at Prestwick Airport, crossing the runway boundary and striking a fence. Both crew members evacuated safely, though the aircraft was destroyed.

What happened

The incident occurred while the aircraft was executing its initial takeoff roll from Prestwick Airport. During this phase of flight, the machine went out of control and deviated from the paved runway surface. It subsequently crossed the boundary and collided with a fence located adjacent to the airfield.

Following the impact, both members of the crew successfully evacuated from the wreckage. No injuries were reported among the personnel on board. However, the structural damage sustained by the airplane during the collision resulted in it being declared beyond repair.