Date & Time:
Oct 26, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1252
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Upper Heyford – Driffield – Kingstown
MSN:
8535
YOM:
1938
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Upper Heyford on a bombing exercice over Carlisle. After a fuel stop at RAF Driffield, the crew continued to Kingstown. While cruising over the Pennines, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The airplane descended too low until it impacted the slope of Mt Mickle Fell located 14 km west of Middleton-in-Teesdale. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Owen Sowerbutts, pilot,
AC1 William Ashbridge, air gunner,
AC2 Horace Redfern, wireless operator and air gunner.
Crew:
P/O John Owen Sowerbutts, pilot,
AC1 William Ashbridge, air gunner,
AC2 Horace Redfern, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
