Argyll & Bute | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While on a transit flight from the US to UK, the airplane suffered a fuel exhaustion and crashed into the sea off Rothesay. A crew, 2nd Lt James R. Stroebel, was killed and nine others were rescued.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 429 Wellington VIII near Clachan: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1943 at 0135 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 429 Wellington VIII

Operator:

Registration:

HX779

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Limavady - Limavady

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The crew departed RAF Limavady on a night training exercise. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane impacted hilly terrain 3 km from Clachan and was destroyed. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (7th OTU):
F/Sgt Donald Frank Sutterby, pilot,
W/O John Noble Mitton, pilot,
Sgt William Evans Davies, observer,
Sgt Herbert Gordon Brooks, wireless operator,
Sgt James Michael Wilson, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the airplane veered some 100 km off course in adverse weather conditions.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY Catalina I off Oban: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

AH547

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Sullom Voe - Sullom Voe

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The airplane departed RAF Sullom Voe on a maritime patrol flight. For unknown reasons, it crashed into the sea off Oban. Four crew members were killed and five others were rescued.
Crew:
P/O Edward George Baker, †
F/Sgt Ronald Michael Anderson Levis, †
Sgt Roderick Malcolm Mackenzie, †
Sgt George Henry Newton, †
Sgt G. A. Elder,
F/Sgt W. O. Morgan,
Sgt A. W. Gray,
F/Sgt R. Clayton,
Sgt R. W. Dickson.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Mull of Kintyre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z6350

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

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The crew was engaged in a training exercise to Tiree. En route, the airplane ran out of fuel and the pilot attempted to divert to Machrihanish. Flying in clouds, the airplane impacted a hill in the Mull of Kintyre and was destroyed upon impact. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur John Gearing, pilot,
Sgt John Edward Orton, pilot,
Cpl Robert Sidney Cohen, observer,
AC2 Peter Gibson Woodward, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain following a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Saro A.36 Lerwick in Faslane: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Saro A.36 Lerwick

Operator:

Registration:

L7248

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Calibration

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Helensburgh - Helensburgh

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Shortly after take off from Helensburgh, while climbing, the right engine failed. The crew was unable to maintain a safe height on just one engine and the aircraft hit a hillside near Faslane, north of Helensburgh. All seven occupants, engaged in a calibration test flight, were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt John Collison Alexander, pilot,
P/O Charles Henry Mills, pilot and observer,
LAC William Sidney Emilio Gianella, air gunner,
LAC William Desmond John McLaughlin, radio operator,
AC2 Peter Beattie Hunter,
AC1 Raymond Theodor Moorcroft Bullocke,
Passenger:
Mr Wilfred Harry Such, civilian instrument repairer.
Source:
http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=582:seven-died-in-faslane-seaplane-crash&catid=88:military&Itemid=462

Probable cause:

Eyewitnesses saw the starboard wing dip before the crash. The two engines, which were recovered from the wreckage and sent to Bristol for examination, were found to be fully serviceable. So it was assumed that flying control problems had been experienced. The Court of Inquiry into the accident concluded that Lerwicks were unstable, particularly on landing approach. It was further noted by the Air Investigating Board, together with the MAEE commanding officer, that the handling characteristics of the Lerwick had never been satisfactory when flying with one engine feathered.

Crash of a Saro A.36 Lerwick off Helensburgh

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Saro A.36 Lerwick

Operator:

Registration:

L7254

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

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While taxiing on the Bay of Helensburgh, the floatplane collided with rocks and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A-CO Liberator I in Campbeltown: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1941 at 1010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

AM915

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Montreal - Campeltown

MSN:

YOM:

1940

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The airplane departed Montreal at 1726LT on August 31 on a flight to Campbeltown, Scotland, carrying six passengers and four crew members, among them civilians. While on approach to Campbeltown Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds. Descending from the east at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the four engine aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Arinarach located few km south of Campbeltown. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Kenneth Dardanelles Garden, pilot,
Geoffrey Llewellyn Panes, copilot,
Charles Alvan Spence, flight engineer,
Samuel Walter Sydenham, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Lt Col Louis Harris Wrangham,
Cpt Sherwood Picking,
Count Guy de Baillet-Latour,
Professor Robert Balmain Mowat,
Dr. Mark Benjamin,
Eric Taylor.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotlandam915.htm

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Moth Major III in Lochgilphead

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1941

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Registration:

BK833

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Lossiemouth - Glasgow

MSN:

5079

YOM:

1934

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The airplane was ferried from RAF Lossiemouth to Glasgow. The pilot, sole on board, encountered poor weather conditions and got lost when he attempted an emergency landing. The airplane collided with a wall and crashed. The pilot was unhurt and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.