Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster on the Mt Beinn Eighe: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1951 at 0225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TX264
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Kinloss at 1800LT on March 13 for a night navigation training exercise. Some 6 1/2 hours after leaving Kinloss, the crew reported that they were approximately 60 miles to the North of Cape Wrath. After this point there was no further radio contact with aircraft, as by the following morning the aircraft had failed to return to base or land at another airfield a search was initiated. This was carried out by numerous aircraft from airfields in Scotland but there were no sightings. On the 17th March as report was received that a red flash had been seen in the Torridon area around the time the aircraft disappeared. An aerial search of the Torridon mountains was carried out and the burnt out wreckage of air aircraft was spotted high on the northern side of Beinn Eighe at the top of the cliffs of the Triple Buttress. Ground units set out to attempt to reach the site to confirm that is was the missing Lancaster but could not reach the site due to deep lying snow and further poor weather, together with a lack of suitable equipment. It was the end of March before members of the RAF Mountain Rescue Team from Kinloss were able to reach the wreck to begin the task of recovering the bodies of the crew. The recovery of the last missing airmen was not carried out until August 1951 when enough snow had melted to uncover his body.
Crew (120th Squadron):
Fl/Lt Harry Smith Reid, pilot,
Sgt Ralph Clucas, copilot,
Sgt Robert Strong, navigator,
Sgt Peter Tennison, signaller,
Sgt James Naismith, signaller,
Sgt Wilfred D. Beck, signaller,
Sgt James W. Bell, signaller,
Sgt George Farquhar, signaller.
Source and photo:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/scotland/avro-lancaster-tx264-beinn-eighe/

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster GR.3 in RAF Kinloss: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SW363
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (236th OCU):
F/Lt Richard Gwynn Williams,
F/Lt Leslie George Harris,
F/Lt Alfred Enos Stephens,
Nav John Cunningham,
Sig Ernest Geal.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it was reported by the crew at the end of the preceding flight that it smelled fuel in the cabin. Also, it was stated that the aircraft was already on fire on takeoff. The assumption that a spark occurred during takeoff and created a fire when contacting with fuel vapors was not ruled out.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in RAF Kinloss: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SW361
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie in RAF Kinloss. The final approach was completed in heavy cross winds (up to 50 knots) and during the last segment, the captain decided to abandon the landing procedure and started a go around maneuver. During initial climb, while at a height of 250 feet, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion. All eight crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains unknown but it is possible that the pilot lost control of the aircraft due to the heavy cross winds.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Tain

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1948 at 1740 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SW326
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (236th OCU) was engaged in a night training sortie from RAF Kinloss. While flying in the vicinity of Tain, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a prairie. All five crew members were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Turf Law: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1945 at 1543 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NK945
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying in a snowstorm, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Turf Law located in the Lammermuir Hills, Huddingtonshire. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Ronald Cameron Ferguson, pilot,
F/Lt Václav Jícha, pilot,
F/O Arthur Scarlett Davidson, flight engineer.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Keswick: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
JP182
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kemble
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crew was performing a ferry flight from RAF Kinloss to RAF Kemble, Wiltshire. En route, while cruising at low altitude, aircraft hit Mt Crag located near Keswick. Both crew were killed.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Cross Fell

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943 at 0945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DJ453
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Kinloss – Kirkbride
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route to RAF Kirkbride and while flying over the Pennines mountain range, east of Penrith, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with icing. He decided to modify his route, passing via the Alston valley. Shortly later, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Cross Fell, slid for several yards and came to rest. All five crew members were injured.
Crew (4th AOS):
Sgt Victor Henry Hill 4.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Vikan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1942 at 0215 LT
Operator:
Registration:
R9496
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Kinloss to attack the German battleship Tirpitz moored in the Fættenfjord northeast of Trondheim. Approaching the Norwegian coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Vikan. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Bruce Archibald, pilot,
Sgt Leslie John Nelmes, pilot,
Sgt Samuel Palmer, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Geoffrey Hillam Gurr Murray, navigator,
Sgt Archibald McCulloch Mclaren, wireless operator,
Sgt James Frederick Staff, wireless operator,
Sgt Douglas Francis, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Sumburgh: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
R9438
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kinloss - Sumburgh
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Kinloss to attack the German battleship Tirpitz moored in the Fættenfjord northeast of Trondheim. While returning to base at Sumburgh, the crew encountered poor visibility. On final approach to the airfield, the airplane crashed on the 1,000 feet high Fitful Head located about 5 km northwest of the airport. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Joseph Bryan Bushby, pilot,
Sgt Anthony John Peach, pilot,
Sgt Geoffrey Noel Edward Powell, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Meredith, flight engineer,
P/O Moses Lewis Usher, wireless operator,
F/Sgt John Peter Burton Buckley, wireless operator,
Sgt John Allan Wood, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Trondheim: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
W1015
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Kinloss to attack the German battleship Tirpitz moored in the Fættenfjord northeast of Trondheim. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in the sea north of the city of Trondheim. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt George H. Steinhauer, pilot,
P/O Peter Gregory Brown, pilot,
Sgt James Black Dunlop, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Lewis E. Goodrum, navigator,
Sgt Eric T. Meade, wireless operator,
Sgt Douglas Granville Joseph Campbell, wireless operator,
Sgt Maurice Cowan Cohen, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.