Zone
Fermanagh

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland MR.5 at RAF Castle Archdale

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
EJ153
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Castle Archdale AFB (Lisnarick)
Fermanagh
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Struck a rock while taxiing and was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III on Mt Crownarad: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1945 at 0233 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
ML743
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale
Location:
Mt Crownarad
Ulster
Country:
Ireland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Captain / Total flying hours:
705
Captain / Total hours on type:
705.00
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Castle Archdale at 0203LT to localize German submarine cruising off the Irish coast. Weather conditions were marginal and the visibility was limited due to a cloud layer at 1,000 feet. The night was very dark. The aircraft passed over the village of Kellybegs and continued to the north when it hit the slope of Mt Cró na Roda (Mt Crownarad) at a height of 471 meters. All 12 occupants were killed.
Crew (201st Squadron):
F/Sgt R. D. A. Becker,
F/Sgt S. B. Frith,
F/O V. Howkins,
Sgt J. R. Mansfield,
F/Sgt J. G. Robinson,
F/S G. R. Kennedy,
Sgt F. N. G. Ford,
F/Sgt D. J. T. Twist,
F/Sgt C. J. Ryder,
F/O R. Delby,
Sgt R. F. Woodward.
Source: http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/ml743.htm
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident must remain obscure. From the evidence it would appear that the aircraft was under the control of the pilot rather than the navigator at the time immediately preceding the crash. The use of the landing light seems to indicate that the pilot was trying to pin point himself (or make a forced landing) in the opinion of this court, the pilot and navigator did not know where they were - which presupposes that they S.E. was u/s or not being used. The fact that the aircraft was on a course of 240 degrees when it crashed may indicate that the pilot realized that he was too far north and was turning back towards the southwest.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina IIA in RAF Castle Archdale: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1944 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
JX242
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Castle Archdale AFB (Lisnarick)
Fermanagh
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While on a training mission from RAF Castle Archdale, the aircraft went out of control and crashed. Eight crew members were killed while two others were injured.
Crew (202nd Squadron):
W/O Ernest Slack,
F/Sgt John William Geldert,
F/Lt George Vincent Forbes-Loyd,
Sgt Douglas William Nater,
F/Sgt Gordon Francis Tribble,
F/Sgt Peter Bryan Marshall,
Sgt Fred James Deem,
P/O William John Sharp.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III in Corlea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
NJ175
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale
Location:
Corlea
Leinster
Country:
Ireland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from the Castle Archdale Seaplane Base, an engine failed. The crew jettisoned some charges and fuel. Later, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing but the aircraft crashed in Corlea, some 40 km south of RAF Castle Archdale. Three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III near Ballycastle: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
W6013
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Ballycastle
Antrim
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
In the early morning, while descending to the RAF Castle Archdale in marginal weather conditions, the seaplane hit the slope of Mt Knocklayd located south of Ballycastle. Nine crew members were killed while three others were injured. At the time of the accident, the mountain was shrouded by clouds and the visibility was poor.
Crew (423rd Squadron):
S/L Thomas, pilot,
F/O Blair, copilot 10.
Probable cause:
According to RAF Command, the accident was caused by a premature descend in marginal weather conditions and low visibility.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III on Brandon Peak: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1943 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
DD848
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale
Location:
Mt Brandon
Munster
Country:
Ireland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Following a maritime patrol flight over the Atlantic Ocean, the crew was returning to his base in RAF Castle Archdale. In early morning, while flying over Munster province in marginal weather conditions and low visibility, the seaplane hit the Brandon Peak and crashed. Eight crew members were killed while three others were wounded.
Crew (422nd Squadron):
F/O Guy Nelson Wilkinson, pilot 10.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III into the Atlantic Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1943 at 0915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
DD859
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Reykjavik
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The seaplane left RAF Castle Archdale around 0500LT on a routine maritime patrol flight to Reykjavik, Iceland. Around 0915LT, the crew spotted the German U-Boat registered U-489 that was performing its first sortie from Kiel. The crew of the Sunderland completed four attacks when he was hit by enemy fire. The captain was forced to ditch the aircraft that sank within 5 minutes. Five crew members were killed while six others were rescued. The U-Boat was lost as well.
Crew (423rd Squadron):
F/O Harry Bertram Parliament,
Sgt Frank Ginger Hadcroft 9.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Atlantic Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
FP114
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Gibraltar
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Atlantic Ocean while on a flight from RAF Castle Archdale to Gibraltar. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina on Yell Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
Z2148
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale
Location:
Yell Island
Shetland (Zetland)
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The floatplane departed RAF Castle Archdale on a mission over the North Sea, off the Norwegian coast, to attack the German battleship 'Tirpitz'. En route, the pilot became disoriented due to marginal weather conditions then the airplane crashed on the south part of the Yell Island. Seven crew members were killed and three others were rescued.
Crew:
F/Lt Harry Goolden,
P/O Lyle George Schell, observer.
Sgt Sinclair Irvine, flight engineer,
Sgt Alan Oscar Pitcher, flight engineer,
Sgt Albert Roland Breakspear, wireless operator,
Sgt Eugen Henowy, wireless operator,
Sgt Leslie Albert Rowe, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
The pilot became disoriented.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-2 Catalina near Glenade: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
AM265
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale
Location:
Glenade
Ulster
Country:
Ireland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The floatplane departed RAF Castle Archdale in the evening of March 20 on a patrol mission with eight crew members on board. The following night, it crashed in a mountainous area located near Glenade. All eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O Albert Edmund Whitworth, pilot,
P/O Harold Lewis Seward, pilot,
F/O Charles Peers Davidson, observer,
Sgt Henry Dunbar, mechanic,
Sgt Harry Harley Newbury, wireless operator,
AC1 Ronald Henry Oldfield,
Sgt Frederick Rodney Albert Chalk, air gunner,
Sgt Gordon Henry Slack, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
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