No fatalities

Aircraft Collision with Fence During Takeoff at RAF Yatesbury (R5923)

Yatesbury AFB, United KingdomTakeoff (climb)

On April 22, 1941, a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide (registration R5923) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Yatesbury AFB, 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 aircraft deviated from the runway during takeoff at RAF Yatesbury, striking a fence before coming to a stop. The incident resulted in no injuries or fatalities.

What happened

During a takeoff attempt from RAF Yatesbury, the aircraft experienced a loss of directional control on the runway surface. Instead of maintaining a straight trajectory for liftoff, the airplane swerved off the designated path. This deviation led to a collision with a perimeter fence. Following the impact, the aircraft came to rest outside the runway area. The event was classified as non-fatal, with no casualties reported among those on board or in the vicinity.

Findings

The source material does not provide specific technical details regarding the mechanical condition of the aircraft or the exact environmental conditions at the time of the incident. However, the sequence indicates that the primary failure occurred during the initial ground roll phase, where the aircraft failed to maintain alignment with the runway centerline prior to liftoff.