Date & Time:
May 30, 1943 at 0440 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE553
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Skipton-on-Swale - Skipton-on-Swale
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skipton-on-Swale at 2240LT on May 29 on an operation to Wuppertal. While returning to base the following morning, it flew into high ground (Swaledale) facing Gunnerside, west of Reeth. Two crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
P/O Fred Thompson Dingwall, pilot, †
F/Lt Leslie Edwin Blight, pilot, †
Sgt Donald Harmon, navigator,
Sgt Francis James Naylor, bomb aimer,
Sgt Joseph David Edmond La Chappelle, wireless operator,
Sgt W. Leadley, air gunner.
Crew:
P/O Fred Thompson Dingwall, pilot, †
F/Lt Leslie Edwin Blight, pilot, †
Sgt Donald Harmon, navigator,
Sgt Francis James Naylor, bomb aimer,
Sgt Joseph David Edmond La Chappelle, wireless operator,
Sgt W. Leadley, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
