Anglesey | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On final approach to RAF Valley, the four engine aircraft was too low and hit a 3 meters high sand dune located 140 meters short of runway threshold. On impact, the left main gear was sheared off. The aircraft lost height and hit the runway surface and crashed. All five crew members were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The crew misjudged the distance between the aircraft and the ground and completed the last segment of the final approach at a too low altitude.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK near RAF Valley: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-48473

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Paris - Warrington

MSN:

14289/25734

YOM:

1944

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The crew left Paris-Le Bourget Airport in the morning with mail bags and various goods. While flying over Wales, the crew was contacted by ground and instructed to divert to RAF Valley due to the deterioration of the weather conditions. After he changed his heading, the crew encountered marginal weather and shortly later, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a rocky mountain and was destroyed. First rescuers arrived on site ten days later and all four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Four Mile Bridge: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

BB275

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Leeming - Valley

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The airplane departed RAF Leeming on a transit flight to RAF Valley, Anglesey. On final approach, one of the engine caught fire. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in Four Mile Bridge, about 3 km northwest of the airbase. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O Joseph Gaspard Arsenault, pilot,
Sgt Peder Larsen, flight engineer,
F/Sgt David Clayton Carder, navigator,
Sgt Alan Bayne Wedderspoon, navigator,
Sgt James Barrie Diggle George, bomb aimer,
Sgt Thomas Herbert Clapham, wireless operator,
F/Sgt John Louis Boivin, air gunner,
Sgt Harvey Frank Gorrie, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Loss of control on final approach following an engine fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off South Stack: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

Z1172

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dale - Dale

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The airplane departed RNAS Dale on a cross country navigation exercise. While cruising off Anglesey, it entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea off the South Stack lighthouse. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ryszard Marian Jarno,
Sgt Ludwik Ruszel,
Sgt Antoni Tycholis,
P/O Leszek Teofil Wasilewski,
P/O Antoni Alesky Zielinski,
Sgt Grzegorz Piotr Gramiak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off South Stack: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942 at 1350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

DV442

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Harwell - Harwell

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The airplane departed RAF Harwell on a training sortie. In flight, one of the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when control was lost and the airplane crashed into the sea off the South Stack Lighthouse. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Eric Boaler, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Longhurst, pilot,
Sgt Cornelius Gerard Roughan, observer.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I off RAF Valley: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1941 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

L6417

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Valley – West Freugh

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The airplane departed RAF Valley at 1130LT on a flight to RAF West Freugh, carrying three crew members. During the takeoff run, the pilot-in-command aborted the procedure but was unable to stop the airplane within the available distance. The Botha overran and crashed into the sea about 500 metres off Rhosneigr. All three crew members were killed. It is also reported that 11 rescuers died while they were trying to save the crew.
Crew:
Sgt Kazimierz Stefan Rosiewicz,
LAC Thomas Alexander Dixon,
LAC Freferick Charles Glockler.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I off Puffin Island: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 6, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

L6265

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Squires Gate - Squires Gate

MSN:

7868/12

YOM:

1941

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The airplane crashed for unknown reasons into the sea some 1,5 km north of Puffin Island. The pilot was killed and two others were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Merrill Adlard, pilot,
F/O P. R. D. A. C. MacDonald,
Sgt S. Jones,
AC1 S. G. Sprott,
Sgt N. W. Downs.

Crash of a Saro A.27 London off Holyhead

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Saro A.27 London

Operator:

Registration:

K6927

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Oban – Calshot

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En route from Oban to Calshot, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and continued to Holyhead where another London was already moored. On final approach in poor visibility (less than 200 yards), the crew completed a right turn at low height when the right float touched the water surface, causing the aircraft to crash in the Holyhead Bay. Both crewmen were injured and the float plane sank 10 minutes later.
Crew:
P/O Willis,
P/O H. A. B. Porteous.