Zone

Crash of a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress on Beinn Nuis Hill: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-97286
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Knettishall – Prestwick
MSN:
7759
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
En route, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of Beinn Nuis Hill, on the Isle of Arann. All 11 occupants were killed. An unconfirmed report stated the crew was carrying an illegal load of whiskey on behalf of British Officers.
Crew (560th Bombing Squadron);
Cpt John N. Littlejohn, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert N. Stoaks, copilot,
2nd Lt William J. Frey, navigator,
1st Lt Richard W. Rosebasky, navigator,
2nd Lt Leonard W. Bond, bomb aimer,
Cpl Joseph A. Payne, flight engineer,
Cpl Albert E. Thomas, radio operator.
Passengers:
Maj James R. Bell,
2nd Lt Jack D. Merkley,
Sgt Charles S. Brown,
S/Sgt Wade D. Kriner.
Source & photos:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotland42-97286.htm

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar on Mt Beinn Nuis: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-56014
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Keflavik - Prestwick
MSN:
18-2487
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Beinn Nuis located on Arann Island, Ayrshire, while performing a flight from Keflavik to Prestwick. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew (17th Aerial Transport Group):
Pfc Bernard T. Boone,
T/Sgt John M. Fantaskey,
Maj Louis C. Goldsmith,
S/Sgt John G. Johnson,
1st Lt John R. MacKenzie,
2nd Lt Richard H. Riddle,
Pvt William Silberg.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-125-CO Liberator on Mt Beinn Nuis: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1943 at 0810 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-41030
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Gander – Prestwick
MSN:
2107
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew had left Gander in Newfoundland for Prestwick at 19:46 GMT on the 19th August, having been one of at least 23 aircraft to depart Canada bound for the UK. At 06:27 GMT the radio operator made contact with Prestwick who provided the crew with a QDM (a magnetic course to steer towards Prestwick) of 092° this placed the aircraft slight north of due magnetic west from the airfield. Contact was made again a few minutes later when the crew reported being 10 miles from Prestwick at 4500ft, the flying control at Prestwick, named Dogwatch, radioed to tell the pilots to hold their altitude until advised. No further contact radio was received from the aircraft and it was reported missing after the other aircraft in the flight that took off around it had arrived. The wreckage was located on the 23rd August by a shepherd on the western side of Beinn Nuis not far from the summit of the mountain. A watch recovered from the wreck showed the time of the crash to be 08:10. The aircraft that had taken off from Gander at around the same time were reported to have landed around 08:00. It would appear that the pilots were descending through the low cloud that covered the area that morning when they flew into the mountains of Arran.
Crew:
2nd Lt William M. Connolly, pilot,
F/O Francis J. Chew, copilot,
2nd Lt Albert T. Spindle, navigator,
2nd Lt Robert J. Hartl, bomb aimer,
S/Sgt Fred W. Brantner, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Joseph B. Moore, radio operator,
S/Sgt Chester E. Cislo, flight engineer,
Sgt Glen Mathew Canon Peyton, air gunner,
Sgt Robert F. Daub, air gunner,
Sgt Louis Stanley Golis, radio operator.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotland42-41030.htm
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.