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Argyll

Crash of a Fokker F22 into the Loch Tarbert: 20 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1943 at 1715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F22
Operator:
Registration:
HM159
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tiree - Glasgow
MSN:
5360
YOM:
1935
Location:
Loch Tarbert
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
En route, the four-engine aircraft caught fire and crashed into the Loch Tarbert, some 300 yards off shore. All 20 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed the in-flight fire was caused by a cigarette.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY Catalina I off Oban: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
AH547
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sullom Voe - Sullom Voe
Location:
Oban
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Sullom Voe on a maritime patrol flight. For unknown reasons, it crashed into the sea off Oban. Four crew members were killed and five others were rescued.
Crew:
P/O Edward George Baker, †
F/Sgt Ronald Michael Anderson Levis, †
Sgt Roderick Malcolm Mackenzie, †
Sgt George Henry Newton, †
Sgt G. A. Elder,
F/Sgt W. O. Morgan,
Sgt A. W. Gray,
F/Sgt R. Clayton,
Sgt R. W. Dickson.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Mull of Kintyre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z6350
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Mull of Kintyre
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training exercise to Tiree. En route, the airplane ran out of fuel and the pilot attempted to divert to Machrihanish. Flying in clouds, the airplane impacted a hill in the Mull of Kintyre and was destroyed upon impact. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur John Gearing, pilot,
Sgt John Edward Orton, pilot,
Cpl Robert Sidney Cohen, observer,
AC2 Peter Gibson Woodward, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Saro A.36 Lerwick in Faslane: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Saro A.36 Lerwick
Operator:
Registration:
L7248
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Calibration
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Helensburgh - Helensburgh
Location:
Faslane
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Helensburgh, while climbing, the right engine failed. The crew was unable to maintain a safe height on just one engine and the aircraft hit a hillside near Faslane, north of Helensburgh. All seven occupants, engaged in a calibration test flight, were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt John Collison Alexander, pilot,
P/O Charles Henry Mills, pilot and observer,
LAC William Sidney Emilio Gianella, air gunner,
LAC William Desmond John McLaughlin, radio operator,
AC2 Peter Beattie Hunter,
AC1 Raymond Theodor Moorcroft Bullocke,
Passenger:
Mr Wilfred Harry Such, civilian instrument repairer.
Source:
http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=582:seven-died-in-faslane-seaplane-crash&catid=88:military&Itemid=462
Probable cause:
Eyewitnesses saw the starboard wing dip before the crash. The two engines, which were recovered from the wreckage and sent to Bristol for examination, were found to be fully serviceable. So it was assumed that flying control problems had been experienced. The Court of Inquiry into the accident concluded that Lerwicks were unstable, particularly on landing approach. It was further noted by the Air Investigating Board, together with the MAEE commanding officer, that the handling characteristics of the Lerwick had never been satisfactory when flying with one engine feathered.

Crash of a Saro A.36 Lerwick off Helensburgh

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Saro A.36 Lerwick
Operator:
Registration:
L7254
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Helensburgh
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing on the Bay of Helensburgh, the floatplane collided with rocks and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A-CO Liberator I in Campbeltown: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1941 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
AM915
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Montreal - Campeltown
MSN:
6
YOM:
1940
Location:
Campbeltown
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Montreal at 1726LT on August 31 on a flight to Campbeltown, Scotland, carrying six passengers and four crew members, among them civilians. While on approach to Campbeltown Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds. Descending from the east at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the four engine aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Arinarach located few km south of Campbeltown. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Kenneth Dardanelles Garden, pilot,
Geoffrey Llewellyn Panes, copilot,
Charles Alvan Spence, flight engineer,
Samuel Walter Sydenham, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Lt Col Louis Harris Wrangham,
Cpt Sherwood Picking,
Count Guy de Baillet-Latour,
Professor Robert Balmain Mowat,
Dr. Mark Benjamin,
Eric Taylor.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotlandam915.htm
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Moth Major III in Lochgilphead

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1941
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
BK833
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lossiemouth - Glasgow
MSN:
5079
YOM:
1934
Location:
Lochgilphead
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was ferried from RAF Lossiemouth to Glasgow. The pilot, sole on board, encountered poor weather conditions and got lost when he attempted an emergency landing. The airplane collided with a wall and crashed. The pilot was unhurt and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Oban

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1940 at 2315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
P9602
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oban - Oban
Location:
Oban
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane overshot the flare and crashed in poor weather conditions off Oban. All seven crew members were rescued.
Crew:
LAC S. L. Gardner +6.

Crash of a Saro A.36 Lerwick I off Oban

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1940 at 0500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Saro A.36 Lerwick
Operator:
Registration:
L7261
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oban - Oban
Location:
Oban
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Ardantrive Bay, off Oban, at 0335LT bound to the west on an escort mission. About an hour into the flight, the crew encountered bad weather conditions and the captain decided to return to his departure point. Upon landing in the Ardantrive Bay, the seaplane hit waves and the right float was torn off. The aircraft plunged into the sea and sank. All nine crew members from the 209th Squadron were rescued and the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Blackburn B-20 off the Isle of Bute: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Blackburn B-20
Operator:
Registration:
V8914
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dumbarton - Dumbarton
MSN:
01
YOM:
1940
Location:
Isle of Bute
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The float plane took to the air from Dumbarton for its first attempt at a high speed run. The flight that day was over the Forth of Clyde and Sound of Bute on Scotland west coast. A high speed run took place at which a speed of 345 mph was reached, but shortly afterwards severe vibration set in. Reducing speed did not help and Flt Lt Bailey ordered the crew to take to their parachutes. Up in the cockpit Fred Weeks was able to get out of one of the escape hatches in the roof, but Ivan Waller deployed his chute too early and it got caught in the radio mast with him only half way out of the escape hatch. Then the vibration stopped and Ivan was able to climb along the top of the fuselage, untangle his parachute and drop free. Flt Lt Bailey stayed with the aircraft until the last possible moment to give the other two crew members a chance to escape, his parachute did not open fully and he was drowned. The aircraft crashed into the sea off Gourock Head, Isle of Bute. No trace was ever found of Duncan Roberts and Sam McMillan. The two surviving crew members were rescued by the improbable sounding HMS Transylvania (a merchant ship converted in an auxiliary cruiser). The crew of the Transylvania reported seeing a large rectangular unit come down out of the thick cloud cover, probably an aileron. The most likely explanation for the crash is that the initial vibration was aileron flutter, this ceased when the aileron broke free (giving Ivan Waller his chance to free his parachute). But with the loss of an aileron the aircraft would have been uncontrollable, leading to its crash. With the loss of the one and only example of the B20 the project ended.
Crew:
Lt Harry Bailey, pilot,
Ivan Waller, Rolls-Royce flight test engineer,
Fred Weeks, Blackburn flight test engineer,
Duncan Roberts, Blackburn aircraft rigger,
Sam McMillan, Blackburn aircraft rigger.
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