Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945 at 1120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
PH404
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tain – Hornchurch
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions at a height of 3,600 feet, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Stob ant’Sluichd located some 20 km southeast of Aviemore, Scotland. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was eventually found by walkers on August 19, 1945, on the top of the mountain, some 10 feet below the summit. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (311th Squadron):
W/O Rudolf Jelen, pilot,
F/O Jan Vella, copilot,
S/L Karel Kvapil, pilot,
F/O Leo Linhart, pilot,
P/O Valter Kauders, wireless operator.