Crash of a Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke IV into the St Margarets Bay
Date & Time:
Oct 27, 1941 at 1830 LT
Operator:
Registration:
9023
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Yarmouth - Yarmouth
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
85.00
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Yarmouth on a navigation exercise. Due to the inexperience of the pilot, it landed short distance from shore (St Margarets Bay) and sank. All four crew members were seriously injured.
Crew:
P/O J. M. McQueen, pilot,
P/O G. W. H. Charles, navigator,
Sgt W. R. MacDonald, wireless operator,
Sgt R. H. McKay, air gunner.
Crew:
P/O J. M. McQueen, pilot,
P/O G. W. H. Charles, navigator,
Sgt W. R. MacDonald, wireless operator,
Sgt R. H. McKay, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Error in judgement of pilot in that he mistook local weather conditions to be general and with ample fuel for four hours failed to examine or confirm by flight to or radio the weather at alternate landing fields. In this case, weather at four alternative landing fields within easy range, Moncton, Debert, Dartmouth and Yarmouth, was good. Reduced visibility at nightfall was a contributing factor.
Final Report:
