Buxton | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was involved in a night training exercise. While flying at low height, the aircraft hit obstacles and crashed on the slope of Birchenough Hill, between Congleton and Buxton. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Donald James De Cleene, pilot,
2nd Lt Maynard Stravinski, copilot,
F/O Thomas Manos, navigator,
T/Sgt Howard F. Ayers, radio operator,
T/Sgt Frank E. Garry, flight engineer.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in Axe Edge

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1944 at 1000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

HN429

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On the 3rd November 1944 the crew of three boarded (including an instructor) HN429 for a Beam Approach training exercise from RAF Cranage in Cheshire where No.1531 Beam Approach Training Flight were stationed. Though this unit was itself a semi-autonomous detachment of No.11 (P)AFU from Calveley. At around 1000LT the trainee pilot lost his way and while trying to correct his error struck the gentle slope on the northern side of Axe Edge. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were injured.
Crew (11 (P) AFU):
F/O Charles Victor Mayhead, pilot,
F/O Albert Craig Mullen, student pilot,
F/O J. S. Bean, observer.
Source & photos:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistricthn429.htm

Probable cause:

Pilot error.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Buxton: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

EB717

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

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Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Wheaton Aston - Wheaton Aston

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During the early hours the 12th May 1943, the pilot took off for a night cross country flight from Wheaton Aston to the south west of Stafford. His route was to have been Wheaton Aston - Shawbury - Condover - Wheaton Aston, this triangular route was a distance of just over 50 miles. At some point, the pilot became disorientated, whether he missed one of his waypoints or saw one of the other airfields in the area is unknown, and ended up flying North East. As the sun was coming into view the aircraft was seen circling over Buxton, shortly afterwards the aircraft flew west into low cloud and struck a dry stone wall which runs the length of Burbage Edge. The stone wall destroyed the forward end of the aircraft killing the lone occupant, the aircraft broke up as it traveled across the moor land for another 30 to 40 yards.
Crew (11th AFU):
Sgt John Henry Langley Wilson.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistricteb717.htm

Probable cause:

The Investigating Officer from No.21 Group concluded that the pilot had set the wrong course on his final leg from Condover back to Wheaton Aston.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Buxton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

L7968

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

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Site:

Mountains

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Cranage - Cranage

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Following a night training mission, while returning to RAF Cranage, the pilot mistook a navigation beacon and instead starting the descent through the airbase, went off course. Shortly later, in low visibility, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain near Buxton. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Paul Joseph Woodcock, pilot,
Sgt James Munro Matheson, pilot,
Sgt Richard James Reay, pilot,
Sgt William Gordon Dale, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Wrong interpretation of a navigation beacon en route on part of the crew, causing a fatal navigational error.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Buxton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1940 at 2225 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

L4189

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While on a night training exercice, the twin engine bomber impacted the slope of Black Edge located near Buxton. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was seriously injured.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Owen Cook, pilot, †
Sgt John Gray Gow, pilot, †
Sgt Eric Burt, wireless operator, †
Sgt N. Powell.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60X Moth in Burbage Edge

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1934

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Cyril Geoffrey Marmaduke Alington

Registration:

G-EBWA

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Broxbourne – Blackpool

MSN:

539

YOM:

1928

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Both men had taken off from Broxbourne in good weather conditions and proceeded northwest across England. As they reached the Pennines they reported encountering thick mist and a strong head wind (up to 60 km/h). The aircraft became difficult to control so the pilot decided to turn back and potentially forced land the aircraft. Before dropping clear of the low cloud, the aircraft struck rising ground on Burbage Edge. The aircraft turned over trapping the pair for about half an hour before they both managed to escape the wreck and walked to an AA box near the Cat & Fiddle public house.
Crew:
William James Alington, pilot.
Passenger:
H. Ellis.

Source: http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrictg-ebwa.htm