Gwynedd

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N5371

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Llandwrog - Llandwrog

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The crew where on a daytime navigation training flight from Llandwrog near Caernarvon, during the the return leg from Shrewsbury while in cloud, and shortly before 10:30 am, the pilot saw a sheep go by beneath him. He pulled the control yoke back in an instinctive effort to climb and successfully stalled the aircraft onto the rising ground but struck a large rock which spun the aircraft so it ended up facing downhill. Fortunately for the crew the fuselage remained intact, this was shown in a photograph published in 'Legend of Llandwrog', but the wing that hit the rock was destroyed, this is shown in 'No Landing Place' on page 41. After the crash the crew were able to transmit a wireless message to Llandwrog to report that they had crashed, using the Direction Finding equipment at the airfield the Flying Control Officer was able to estimate its position somewhere in the vicinity of Tal y Fan. However before a better fix could be made the remaining life in the aircraft's battery was exhausted, though the crew were advised to fire a red flare every half hour to aid the Mountain Rescue crew who departed base at 11:00. They drove their vehicles up the track from Rowen that runs around the southern side of Tal y Fan. However this track became narrow with overhanging trees and large boulders which caused some trouble for the team. Two flares were seen from towards Llyn Dulyn, but these had been fired by an 'Army Battle Unit' who were training in the area. They were also brought into the search and after only a short time reported sighting a crashed aircraft high up on Foel Fras. The Mountain Rescue Service then proceeded up the Dulyn valley and when they reached farm at Tan y Bwlch spotted a lift raft and the five crew with the aircraft. The crash site was reached at 15:00 and the crew were quickly evacuated from the site and were taken back to the Station Sick Quarters for medical assessment.
Crew (9th AFU):
Sgt Arthur Bickerdike, pilot,
P/O Oswald Ian Hamilton Stoeckel, navigator,
Sgt Laurence Tommie, wireless operator,
Sgt G. Martin, navigator 1.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/wales/walesn5371.htm

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I in Llandwrog: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1943 at 2240 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

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Registration:

AE688

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Sculthorpe - Sculthorpe

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While on a night training sortie from RAF Sculthorpe, the twin engine aircraft was off course and hit the slope of a mountain near Llandwrog. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (464th Squadron):
F/Sgt J. A. Johnston, pilot,
F/Sgt E. J. E. Beaudry, navigator,
F/O L. Fullerton, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt A. S. Clegg, air gunner.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was not on the intended track at the time of the accident for unknown reason.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Pant Glas

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1943

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EF823

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While flying by night and in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Pencreigiau'r Llan, near Pant Glas, Wales. All five crew members were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by a navigation error on part of the crew who was following a wrong track.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Penygroes: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1943

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Registration:

EG129

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Military

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En route, while on a night liaison flight, an engine failed. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All five occupants were killed.
Crew (9th AFU):
F/O Jack W. Croudis, pilot,
LAC Oscar Brayshay,
LAC Norman W. French,
LAC Alwyn T. J. Phillips,
Sgt Phillip Saer.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X on Mt Foel Grach: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 440 Wellington X

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Registration:

HE466

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Hixon - Hixon

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While performing a night training mission from RAF Hixon, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Foel Grach, southeast of Bangor, north of Wales. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (30th OTU):
Sgt Edward Gerrard Frezell, pilot,
P/O Frederick Keith Thorogood, navigator,
Sgt Cecil Gordon Bennett, bomb aimer,
Sgt George Newton Rafferty, wireless operator,
Sgt Edwin Towler, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson near Beddgelert : 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1943 at 0030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

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Registration:

AM832

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The aircraft left its base in the evening of February 3 on a night training exercise. One hour into the flight, following a navigational error, the aircraft went off course and was flying over the Snowdonia mountains. In poor visibility due to poor weather conditions, while cruising at an altitude of 2,300 feet, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Llechog located northeast of Beddgelert. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
Sgt R. J. Bennett, pilot,
Sgt J. C. Sharpley, navigator,
Sgt S. J. Meddings, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt A. W. Peach, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source: Alan Storr
http://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/pdf/RC09125_022--1-.pdf

Probable cause:

A Court of Inquiry into the accident reported that : “ In our opinion the cause of the accident was faulty navigation resulting in an aircraft flying to a position approx 60 miles south of its intended turning point at Kish Lt. W/T facilities for checking the position do not appear to have been initiated at all apart from obtaining the one QDM. The aircraft was airborne at 2201 hours and using still air conditions should have turned at Kish Lt at 2306 hours. In actual fact it will be seen that it did not make this turn until 2342 hours ie. 36 minutes late. He stayed on the leg from South Rock to Kish Lt for a period of one hour instead of 31 minutes. The aircraft after leaving its estimated position at Kish Lt lost height and apparently obeyed the QDM which was passed as a weak signal and should have been treated with caution. It crashed on a mountain side at approx 2300 feet causing the death of the crew and the complete destruction of the aircraft.” The Grp Capt.CO RAF Silloth stated “ The cause of the accident remains obscure, but the findings of faulty navigation recorded by the Court is not an unlikely reason for the accident.”

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Mt Foel Grach: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1943 at 2100 LT

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EG110

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Llandwrog - Llandwrog

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The crew of the aircraft were on a night navigation training exercise from RAF Llandwrog near to Caernarfon, while on the return leg from Shrewsbury at 2100LT the aircraft struck the southern side of Foel Grach. All of the crew survived the initial impact though three of them were seriously injured and were unable to leave the wrecked aircraft. Pilot Officer Archer, being the least injured, was the only man able to walk out for help. Rescuers arrived on site on January 16 around 1000LT. Sgt Brocklehurst was found lying across the navigator's table, apparently as though he had fallen asleep there and died, Sgt Barnett was in the co-pilot's seat and was also found to be dead. Sgt Paterson was alive and reported to be warm.
Crew (9th AFU):
P/O Kenneth Archer, pilot,
Sgt Eric Thomas Brocklehurst, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt William Henry Barnett, navigator, †
Sgt Frank Paterson, navigator.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/wales/waleseg110.htm

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Foel Gron: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1942

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DJ635

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Penrhos - Penrhos

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While performing a training mission from RAF Penrhos, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. In low visibility due to the night, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Foel Gron located east of Salem. Four crew members were killed while the Sgt Knight was seriously injured. He died a day later from his injuries.
Crew (9th AFU):
Sgt D. E. Johnson,
Sgt C. R. Morgan,
LAC J. R. Knowles,
LAC G. Ross,
Sgt C. Knight.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Moel Eilio: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1942 at 1435 LT

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N4981

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