Date & Time: Nov 10, 1944 at 0330 LT
Operator:
Registration:
KH108
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Abbotsford - Abbotsford
MSN:
1264
YOM:
1944
Country:
Canada
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
10
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training mission and departed Abbotsford Airport on the evening of November 9. While low visibility, pilots were unable to locate the mountainous terrain. The four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near Flora Lake, Vancouver Island, and was destroyed by impact forces. All 10 crew members were killed. SAR operations were dispatched on a huge area but no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was eventually spotted one year later. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to marginal weather conditions and by night.
Crew (5th OTU):
F/O John Victor Kingdon, 1st pilot,
F/O Morris Morganstein, 2nd pilot,
F/O Frederick Edward Brown,
F/O James Frederick Cooke,
Sgt Frederick Douglas Hafford,
Sgt Sidney Helper,
Sgt Glyn Ivor Jones,
Sgt Thomas MacDonald,
Sgt Ronald May,
Sgt David Peggie Westwater.