Zone
Cumbria

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Great Dun Fell: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
BB310
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Longtown - Longtown
Location:
Penrith
Cumbria
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew consisted of five student pilots and four instructors and was performing a training exercise over the mountainous region of Pennines, on behalf of the 1674 HCU. En route since eight hours, the pilot in command did not realize his altitude was insufficient. The aircraft hit the slope of Blea Crag and disintegrated on impact, killing all nine crew members. Wreckage was spotted some 10 miles east of Penrith.
Crew:
F/O Paul B. Stevens, pilot,
F/O Sydney Brookes, pilot,
F/Sgt William Alan Johnson, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Frank Pess, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Harold S. Seabrook, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Robert J. Littlefield, flight engineer,
Sgt William J. Morrison, navigator,
Sgt Hugh Dunningham, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Dean W. Swedberg, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I near Penrith: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1942 at 0030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
N7325
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Silloth - Silloth
MSN:
414-1721
YOM:
1940
Location:
Penrith
Cumbria
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Silloth in the evening of September 5 on a night training exercise. After completing a flight over Northern Ireland, the crew was returning to his base in the middle of the night. On the return leg, the crew encountered low visibility due to clouds. The twin engine aircraft went off track to the east by 40 miles when it hit the slope of Mt Cross Fell, east of Penrith. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
P/O Paul Arthur Bourke, pilot,
Sgt John Bumpstead, navigator,
Sgt Robert Band, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Leslie Thomas Griffin, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Richard William Hewitt, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source & photos:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/pennines/penninesn7325.htm
Probable cause:
Because of the lack of contact it was assumed by the investigating officer that the aircraft's radio equipment had failed, leaving the crew with only dead reckoning as a means of navigating.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Penrith

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1940 at 0330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
L7857
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Location:
Penrith
Cumbria
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 1820LT on October 16 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. The aircraft crashed near Penrith and was destroyed. All six crew members were uninjured.
Crew (75th Squadron):
P/O N. Greenaway,
Sgt W. Campbell,
Sgt R. Brown,
P/O J. Morton,
P/O H. Newman,
P/O A. Anderson.
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