Date & Time:
Feb 15, 1943 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
HF613
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wellesbourne Mountford - Wellesbourne Mountford
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane took off in the mid-morning from Wellesbourne Mountford near Stratford upon Avon for a cross country flight. At just after 1300LT, it descended out of bad weather (possibly due to icing) and became enveloped in a snow storm, shortly afterwards the aircraft crashed, seemingly out of control, with a steep nose down attitude near to Peakshole Water. The aircraft slid for a short distance, crossing the river and striking a large embankment on the other side where the aircraft was completely destroyed. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (22nd OTU):
Sgt John Douglas Kester, pilot,
Sgt Richard Foote Cairns, navigator,
Sgt William James Hackett, air gunner,
Sgt Bernard Elliott Wilkinson, air gunner,
Sgt William Arthur Billy Marwood, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistricthf613.htm
Crew (22nd OTU):
Sgt John Douglas Kester, pilot,
Sgt Richard Foote Cairns, navigator,
Sgt William James Hackett, air gunner,
Sgt Bernard Elliott Wilkinson, air gunner,
Sgt William Arthur Billy Marwood, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistricthf613.htm
Probable cause:
Icing.
