Argyll

The Glasgow based Islander aircraft was engaged on an air ambulance task for the Scottish Ambulance Service when the accident occurred. The pilot allocated to the flight had not flown for 32 days; he was therefore required to complete a short flight at Glasgow to regain currency before landing to collect a paramedic for the flight to Campbeltown Airport on the Kintyre Peninsula. Poor weather at Campbeltown Airport necessitated an instrument approach. There was neither radar nor Air Traffic Control Service at the airport, so the pilot was receiving a Flight Information Service from a Flight Information Service Officer in accordance with authorised procedures. After arriving overhead Campbeltown Airport, the aircraft flew outbound on the approach procedure for Runway 11 and began a descent. The pilot next transmitted that he had completed the ‘base turn’, indicating that he was inbound to the airport and commencing an approach. Nothing more was seen or heard of the aircraft and further attempts at radio contact were unsuccessful. The emergency services were alerted and an extensive search operation was mounted in an area based on the pilot’s last transmission. The aircraft wreckage was subsequently located on the sea bed 7.7 nm west-north-west of the airport; there were no survivors.

Loganair Flight LC423 was a scheduled passenger flight from Glasgow Airport (GLA) to Islay/Port Ellen (ILY). The handling pilot, who occupied the first pilot's position, had recently converted to flying the DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft, and was completing a series of supervised route flights required by the airline before the award of full command status. A company supervisory captain, the designated commander for this flight, occupied the co-pilot's position. The Twin Otter's engines were started at 14:38, and, at 14:44, Glasgow Airport ATC approved taxy clearance to the holding point of runway 28. The aircraft was operating on a stored Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan. The requested routeing was a Standard Instrument Departure (SID), to join Airway Blue 2 for the Skipness VOR beacon, and thereafter direct to the Islay/Port Ellen NDB. The direct track is the 272° Magnetic (M) radial from Skipness. At 14:46 Glasgow ATC advised LC423 of their flight clearance. The requirement to fly the SID was cancelled and the aircraft was cleared direct to Skipness, cruising level FL55. The aircraft took off from runway 28 at 14:48. The aircraft reported a position overhead the Skipness VOR at 15:08. At this point Scottish Airways Control informed LC423 that they should clear controlled airspace, contact Port Ellen, and that there was no known traffic to affect their descent. After passing overhead the Skipness VOR the aircraft did not depart that position on the 272° radial, but instead turned 15° left, and descended on the 257° radial towards the south of the island of Islay. At 15:10, having already started to descend, LC423 contacted Islay/Port Ellen, reported an arrival time of 15:23, and requested details of the latest weather. The Islay/Port Ellen radio operator replied that the weather details were a surface wind of 220°/05 knots, visibility 2000 metres in drizzle, cloud 3 oktas at 400 feet, 5 oktas at 700 feet, and 8 oktas at 1400 feet. The sea level barometric pressure was 1018 millibars. LC423 acknowledged the information and was asked to advise when overhead the aerodrome at 3600 feet, or when in visual contact. The aircraft then continued to descend, on a track of about 260° M towards the south of the island, until it disappeared from radar cover at a height of 1400 feet and at a position 12 nautical miles (nm) from Islay/Port Ellen aerodrome on the 106° M radial. From the position that the aircraft descended below radar cover it is estimated that a direct track was flown towards the southern coast of the Isle of Islay. The flight continued at very low level parallel to the south coast. At 15:21 the Islay/Port Ellen radio operator transmitted further weather information which recorded that cloud conditions were similar to the previous report but that there was then heavy drizzle. Changes in barometric pressure settings were also reported. LC423 acknowledged this information and reported "over Port Ellen". However, the aircraft was not, at that time, over Port Ellen, but was in fact turning inland at very low level over Laphroaig. From overhead Laphroaig the aircraft settled on to a northwesterly heading and very shortly afterwards crashed into rising ground, that was obscured in hill fog, approximately 1 nm from the coast at a height of 360 feet amsl.

The aircraft had taken off from Ballykelly in Northern Ireland on an anti-submarine exercise early on the morning of the 19th April 1968, it is reported to have been tasked with located a Royal Navy submarine that was in the area. The area that day was shrouded in thick sea mist and at about 10:30 the aircraft was heard in the area south of the Mull of the Kintyre shortly after as it climbed up through the mist the aircraft struck rising ground near Garvalt cottage killing all 11 crew members instantly.
Crew:
S/Ldr Robert Clive Leonard Haggett, pilot,
F/O David Robert Burton, pilot,
F/O Michael Creedon, pilot,
F/Lt Roger John Duncan Denny, navigator,
F/Lt George Craigie Fisken, navigator,
Sgt John Richard Frank Creamer, flight engineer,
F/Lt Rodney Hellens, air electronic officer,
F/Sgt Thomas Frederick Anglin Buttimore, air electronic officer,
Sgt Bruce Robert Dixon, air electronic officer,
M/Sig Ronald Cecil Stratton, air signaller,
Sgt Nathaniel Michael Duffy, air signaller.
Source: www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk

The four engine aircraft departed Glasgow Airport with a crew of two and a doctor who were flying to Port Ellen to pick up a patient. The approach to Port Ellen was started by night and marginal weather conditions. While making a turn to join the runway path, the airplane struck the ground with its left wing, cartwheeled and crashed. All three occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was taking part to an antisubmarine exercice from RAF Ballykelly. While cruising by night and limited visibility, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Beinn na Lice located one mile northeast of the Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all nine crew members have been killed.
Crew (36th Squadron):
F/Lt Geoffrey Finding, pilot,
F/O James Alexander Campbell, copilot,
F/O Gilbert Rishton, navigator,
Sgt Cyril Armstrong, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Raymond Fox, radio operator,
F/Sgt Ronald Mark Noble, air signaler,
Sgt Eric Honey, air signaler,
Sgt Bernard Edward Lynn, air signaler,
Sgt Roy Vincent Smith, air signaler.

The aircraft departed RAF Ballykelly to conduct radar homings on a submarine in the Lough Foyle - Rathlin Island area; this exercise was to be followed by a navigation exercise. The crew completed the anti-submarine procedures and made its last radio call at 1715LT. At 1730LT several civilians on the Isle of Mull heard a low-flying aircraft and an explosion. Wreckage was found on the Isle of Mull and the nearby mainland, although it is not clear whether this wreckage was found on the coastline or further inland. All 10 crew died in the accident. The condition of some of the wreckage indicated an extremely violent impact, but the cause of the accident was never established. In March 1954, further wreckage was found in the Sound of Mull which led experts to conclude that the aircraft appeared to have struck the water whilst turning to starboard in a nose down attitude. A search of the high ground on the Isle of Mull did not reveal any evidence of a glancing impact. Contemporary press cuttings indicate that it crashed in the Sound of Mull with the wreckage being found by the frigate HMS Volage on 13th December 1953. A month later a further cutting reports two bodies being found.
Crew:
F/Lt Fielding Chevallier, pilot,
F/Sgt Arthur Gordon McReavy, pilot,
F/O Horace Alexander Brown, navigator,
P/O Alfred Brinkman, navigator,
Sgt Maurice Wilfred Richard Griffin, flight engineer,
Sgt Patrick William Harrington, flight engineer,
Sgt Lewis Ralph Allen, air signaller,
Sgt Michael Barron Bern, air signaller,
Sgt John Dodd, air signaller,
Sgt Maurice James Griffin, air signaller.
Source: https://www.findagrave.com

On final approach to Port Ellen, the aircraft was too low, hit the ground and lost its undercarriage. It skidded on its belly for several yards before coming to rest. While all six occupants were unhurt, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft was performing a flight from RAF Scampton (Lincolnshire) to Schilling AFB (Smoky Hill AFB) in Salina, Kansas, with an intermediate stop in Keflavik. While flying over Scotland at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and requested to ATC the permission to climb to 14,400 feet. Shortly later, at a speed of 500 km/h, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of the Stob na Boine Druim-fhinn mountain located two miles northwest of Lochgoilhead. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 20 occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Sheldon C. Craigmyle, pilot,
1st Lt Myrton P. Barry, copilot,
1st Lt Richard D. Klingenberg, navigator,
1st Lt Robert A. Fritsche, bombardier.
Passengers:
T/Sgt Delbert E. Cole,
M/Sgt Wayne W. Baker,
T/Sgt John B. Lapicca,
S/Sgt Malcolm W. Bovard,
Sgt Anthony V. Chrisides,
Sgt Rufus W. Mangum,
Pfc Jack L. Heacock,
M/Sgt Henry P. Prestoch,
T/Sgt Frank M. Dobbs Jr.,
Sgt Cecil G. Jones,
Sgt Charles W. Hess,
Pfc Robert Brown Jr.,
T/Sgt Rufus G. Taylor,
Sgt Paul W. Knight,
Pfc Frederick N. Cook,
Pfc Bruce J. Krumhols.

While approaching Scotland at an altitude of 2,300 feet in poor weather conditions (low clouds and snow falls), the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Ben Talaidh 200 feet from the summit. The captain and two passengers were killed.
Crew (45th Group):
F/O Frank Bishop, pilot, †
P/O Thomas Brown Milne Alexander, pilot,
W/O Gilbert Nichols, radio operator.
Passengers:
S/Ldr Derek Biden Auchinvole,
S/Ldr Archibald Alderton, †
F/O Herbert Ellis, †
F/Lt B. Miller,
F/Lt John Douglas Lumsden Gammie.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotlandkk194.htm

The crew was engaged in a test flight. Take off procedure was attempted in frosty conditions from the Clyde River, off Helensburgh. During initial climb, the four engine aircraft stalled, crashed and sunk. Two crew members were rescued while the test pilot H. G. White was killed.