Mountains

The crew departed RAF Moreton-in-Marsh on a cross country navigation exercise and their route was out over mid Wales to the Irish Sea and back to RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, a fairly straight forward flight. During the briefings all crews were instructed NOT to drop through cloud without first confirmation of their location and the terrain below! Being told by using black humor of how over Wales, the clouds have hard centre. Unfortunately unknown to the crew, due to cloud and an unexpected shift in wind direction and speed, they veered off course, then at the allotted time en route they saw a wide water feature about three miles off to port, which they mistook the River Dovey for the coast. No sooner had they glimpsed the water and before realizing it wasn’t the sea, they entered cloud. But sadly, confident the water they saw, along with the timing the Wellington flew on gradually losing height to the pre-arranged height over water of 1000ft, ahead lay the high mountain of Ffridd Rhosfach at around 1,448 feet. The airplane was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt James Francis Paul Stuart, pilot,
Sgt Herbert George Mole, pilot,
P/O George Joyce Matthews, observer,
Sgt Allan Jackets, wireless operator,
Sgt John Francis Moore, wireless operator,
Sgt George Hewison, air gunner.

The crew departed Calgary Airport on a training exercise. The pilot became trapped in a dead end canyon during an unauthorized low flying, causing the airplane to impact trees while attempting to turn around at west end of Canyon, on Mt McDougall. The starboard horizontal stabilizer was torn off and the airplane crashed on the slope of the mountain, some 71 km west-southwest of Calgary. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O Ian MacDonell Sutherland Brown, †
LAC Frederick William Greenfield, †
LAC A. M. R. McGruther.

The airplane departed RAF Heathfield in Prestwick, in the evening, on a schedule service to Montreal-Saint Hubert Airport with an intermediate stop in Gander, carrying 19 passengers and a crew of three. After departure, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and followed a wrong heading. In limited visibility due to low clouds, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Mullach Buidhe (2,366 feet) located on the Isle of Arran, some 41 km northwest of the departure point. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 22 occupants were killed, among them RAF personnel and civilians.
Crew (BOAC):
Cpt Ernest Robert Bristow White, pilot,
Cpt Francis Delaforce Bradbrooke, copilot,
Henry Samuel Green, radio officer.
Passengers:
Albert Alexander Oliver, radio officer,
George Herbert Powell, radio officer,
Herbert David Rees. radio officer,
Cpt James Josiah Anderson,
Ralph Bruce Brammer, radio officer,
John Beatty Drake, radio officer,
Cpt Daniel Joseph Duggan,
Cpt George Thomas Harris,
Cpt Hoyt Ralph Judy,
Wilfrid Groves Kennedy, radio officer,
Cpt Watt Miller,
George Laing, radio officer,
William Kenneth Marks, radio officer,
Hugh Cameron McIntosh, radio officer,
Cpt John Evan Price,
Ernest George Reeves, flight engineer,
F/O John James Rouleston,
Cpt Harold Clifford Wesley Smith,
Cpt Jack Wixen.
More info and photos on:
http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk/liberator_lb-30a_buidhe.htm

Few minutes after takeoff from RAF Leuchars, while cruising at low height, the twin engine airplane impacted a hill and crashed 5 km west of Dunino, south of Saint Andrews. The airplane was destroyed and both crewmen were killed. The crew consisted of an instructor and a pilot under training.
Crew:
Sgt WILLEM Hijkoop, instructor,
Sgt Anton Marie Ten Herkel, student pilot.

The airplane departed Vichy on a cargo flight to Pau, carrying one passenger and two crew members. While cruising west of Perpignan, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. In limited visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of the Pic de l'Estalle located near Salvezines. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Max Rives, pilot,
Jean Joly, radio navigator.
Passenger:
Mrs. Claire Roman, French aviator.

The pilot departed RAF Shawbury on a solo training flight. While cruising in poor visibility due to low clouds and foggy conditions, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near the Sychnant Pass, bursting into flames. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
LAC Thomas William Gurnell, pilot.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith in the evening of July 30 on an operation to Cologne. En route, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions and decided to return to base. While flying at low height, the bomber impacted the slope of a hill near Edale. Five crew members were killed and a sixth occupant was seriously injured.
Crew (150th Squadron):
Sgt Percival Harold Charles Parrot, pilot, †
Sgt Joseph Arthur Haswell, pilot, †
Sgt Jack Douglas Evelle, observer, †
Sgt Frederick Kenneth Webber, wireless operator , †
Sgt Dennis Aloysius Monk, air gunner, †
Sgt Earl Tilley, air gunner.

The pilot was tasked to ferry the airplane from Lennoxlove to RAF Dumfried and departed Lennoxlove around noon. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was found the next day in Moorfoot Hills near Peebles. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
P/O Elijah Henson, pilot.

The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton on a solo training sortie on behalf of the 54 OTU. The goal of the exercise was searchlight homing under R/T. After departure, the pilot was unwittingly vectored over the North Yorkshire Moors and Cleveland Hills by the by the ground-based controller. In limited visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
P/O Alexander Douglas McMurtrie, pilot.

The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton on a solo training sortie on behalf of the 54 OTU. The goal of the exercise was searchlight homing under R/T. After departure, the pilot was unwittingly vectored over the North Yorkshire Moors and Cleveland Hills by the by the ground-based controller. While attempting to break clouds at about 1,500 - 2,000 feet to see the searchlights, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was seriously injured.
Crew:
P/O Edward James Woodhead, pilot.