Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Llangollen: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 21, 1942 at 0007 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N4966
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cranage - Cranage
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total hours on type:
181.00
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training exercise and departed RAF Cranage in the evening. Following a navigation error, the airplane was too far to the west and at night, went through an area of drizzle and low mist. The captain reduced his altitude in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located northeast of Llangollen, near Garth. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Dennis Armstrong Wapshott, pilot,
Sgt Harry Doidge Searle, pilot,
W/O Charles Edward Wordsworth, observer,
Lac John Francis Eckersley, wireless operator.
Crew:
Sgt Dennis Armstrong Wapshott, pilot,
Sgt Harry Doidge Searle, pilot,
W/O Charles Edward Wordsworth, observer,
Lac John Francis Eckersley, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following a navigation error on part of the crew, combined to the lack of experience of the captain who had only 9 flying hours at night.
