Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Craigavad Cultra: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1946 at 1000 LT
Operator:
Registration:
G-AERZ
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Liverpool – Belfast
MSN:
6356
YOM:
1937
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On approach to Belfast-City Airport, the pilot encountered heavy rain falls and the horizontal visibility was reduced to 180 meters. Apparently to maintain a visual contact with the ground, he reduced his altitude when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located in Craigavad Cultra, some 10 km northeast of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed, among them the pilot, captain E. Tyrer.
Probable cause:
Crew error. Too low approach.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Belfast

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
FK201
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2375
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An undercarriage collapsed on landing. The aircraft slid on runway before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Belfast

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
FL928
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
246
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Swerved on landing, lost its nose gear and came to rest. All crew members escaped unhurt but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator III in Belfast

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
FK238
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
178
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing, the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft skidded for several yards before coming to rest on the runway. All eight crew members evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Nose gear failure on touchdown.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-35-VE Flying Fortress in Belfast: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-97862
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
7227
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a transatlantic flight when approaching Belfast, he encountered low visibility with fog. When the captain started the approach to Belfast-Nutt's Corner Airport, he lost his bearings and did not realize his altitude was insufficient. The four engine bomber hit the slope of Mt Cavehill located some 12 km short of runway and was destroyed. All ten occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O Lester B. Brooks, pilot,
F/O Jeremiah C. Murphy, pilot,
2nd Lt Joseph V. Nobilione, navigator,
F/O Leighton B. McKenzie, bomber,
S/Sgt Lawrence E. Dundon, radio operator,
S/Sgt Wilbur D. Brewer, air gunner,
Sgt Robert L. Graves, air gunner,
S/Sgt Edward E. McGill, air gunner,
Sgt Howard A. Hibbler, air gunner,
Cpl Lawrence R. McCrane, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Bowhill Farm: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1944 at 0120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MG385
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Flt Sgt Britt who was uninjured in the crash, later reported ; “At 00:21 we received a diversionary message from Ramsay instructing us to land at Bishop Court. The Pilot and Navigator were informed, and QDM’s were obtained from Bishop Court H/F D/F Station. A short time after that one of the engines cut, I think it was the starboard. The Pilot increased power from the other one, but a few seconds later that one failed. The Pilot ordered abandon aircraft at a height of about 2,500 feet. The 2nd WOP was first to leave followed by the Navigator and then myself. On the way down I saw the aircraft with its landing lights on and guessed the Pilot was looking for a place to force land.”
Crew:
Sgt R. C. Gillespie, pilot,
Sgt R. H. Sproge, navigator, †
Sgt J. Pickaunce, air bomber,
Sgt J. Britt, wireless operator,
Sgt J. G. Breathour, wireless operator.
Source: ASN
Probable cause:
An Inquiry into the accident found that “ Both outboard cocks were in the “ON” position, both outboard fuel tanks were empty. Both Inboard tanks contained at least 15 gallons of fuel. Both cocks were OFF. It was considered that the engines failed because of shortage of fuel.”

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III near Ballycastle: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W6013
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
In the early morning, while descending to the RAF Castle Archdale in marginal weather conditions, the seaplane hit the slope of Mt Knocklayd located south of Ballycastle. Nine crew members were killed while three others were injured. At the time of the accident, the mountain was shrouded by clouds and the visibility was poor.
Crew (423rd Squadron):
S/L Thomas, pilot,
F/O Blair, copilot 10.
Probable cause:
According to RAF Command, the accident was caused by a premature descend in marginal weather conditions and low visibility.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Ballycastle: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1943 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N5372
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Squires Gate - Squires Gate
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Squires Gate at approx 1940LT to carry out a night non-operational navigation B3 exercise. It crashed at 2115LT hours in Ballycastle, County Antrim, North Ireland. Two of the crew were killed and two injured. The aircraft was being flown by Flying Officer Cooper and he attempted a forced-landing, but struck a tree before crashing into a house in Drumavoley Road, Glenxhesk, Ballycastle, which at the time was owned by Charles Blaney. Mr Blaney’s wife and their five children were at home as was a young girl from County Donegal, 22 year old Josephine McGroarty, who was staying there at the time. She was standing outside the house with her boyfriend John Greer from Ballycastle. John was thrown clear as the aircraft came sliding into a fatal impact with the house. Josephine McGroarty was tragically killed as were two of those on board the aircraft. One of these was a high-ranking free-Polish officer, Wing Commander Heller, who was based at Jurby in the Isle of Man. The pilot, Flying Officer Cooper, was thrown from the aircraft and he landed in the children’s room, none of whom miraculously were injured, nor were the Blaneys themselves. Wing Commander Heller was later buried in Movilla cemetery, Newtownards, Co Down. The Pilot who survived the crash, later stated; “On the last leg of the exercise, the aircraft was flying at 2,400 feet. It was however eleven miles to the starboard of track, a fact not known to the crew. I decided to descend to 2,000 feet to avoid another aircraft. We approached from the downwind side of the mountain, and the wind was 150 degrees at 35/40 kms per hour. There would have been an extensively strong down draft as we approached the mountainside. After the aircraft struck Knockgavd, SOS procedures were carried out and preparations were made for a ditching.”
Crew:
F/O J. G. Cooper, pilot,
W/Cdr W. R. Heiler, navigator, †
F/Lt J. H. Dunn, navigator,
W/O E. G. Clarke, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Source:
http://www.secondworldwarni.org/details.aspx?id=2&pagerecordid=1079&themeid=2

Crash of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator III in Belfast-Aldergrove: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
FK234
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
130
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Belfast-Aldergrove, while in initial climb, the aircraft encountered problems to gain height, hit tree tops and crashed in flames on a hilly terrain. Five crew members were killed while three others were injured. A day later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.
Crew (86th Squadron):
S/L Dennis F. Wykeham-Martin, †
Sgt John M. Leslie, †
Sgt Henry B. Little, †
P/O Henry F. Burney, †
F/Sgt William G. McGhee, †
W/O Harold L. Carter, †
P/O S. Neal,
F/Sgt A. L. Cowan.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Carnlough: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
LV340
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Ballykelly - Ballykelly
MSN:
62
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight over Northern Ireland. En route, while cruising in low altitude, the captain encountered poor visibility while flying west of Carnlough. The bomber hit the slope of Mt Limnalary and disintegrated on impact. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (120th Squadron):
F/O M. F. Dear,
Sgt A. B. Meyer,
P/O A. B. Gomperts,
Sgt C. Humphrey,
Sgt R. Ainslie,
Sgt T. W. Taylor,
Sgt I. V. McQuay,
G/C H. K. Goode.