Zone

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I on Mt Foel Wen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4873
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Upwood - Upwood
MSN:
8888
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Upwood on a formation exercice in the direction of Wales. En route, the pilot encountered clouds when the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Foel Wen located 15 km southeast of Bala. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Maurice Charles Cotterell, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Jesse Harbour, observer,
AC2 Kenneth Charles Winterton, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.