Cardiganshire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew left RAF Brawdy in the evening on an experimental night radar meteorological research flight. Aircraft was due to overfly a marker dropped into the sea taking readings at 100 feet intervals up to 1,500 feet using a radar altimeter to secure accuracy. At 0200LT, while descending to 200 feet, the aircraft impacted the sea. No recovery of bodies or wreckage proved possible. Aircraft and crew were from the RAF Radar Meteorological Flight based at Defford, but detached to Brawdy for this particular sortie.
Crew:
F/Lt Daniel Joseph Cotter, pilot,
F/Sgt Arthur Edward Bedwell, navigator,
W/O Edward Moore, observer.
Source:
http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/memorial/entry.php?id=164

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D Liberator near RAF Aberporth

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-23808

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Shipdham - Shipdham

MSN:

603

YOM:

1942

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Shipdham on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. While returning to base, it ran out of fuel and crash landed near RAF Aberporth. The airplane was destroyed and all 11 crew members were rescued.
Crew:
2nd Lt J. B. Long,
2nd Lt J. F. McCormick,
2nd Lt L. O. Frazier,
2nd Lt W. A. Frazee,
T/Sgt C. Littell,
T/Sgt L. R. Winter,
S/Sgt S. L. Weiser,
S/Sgt D. C. McGinnis,
S/Sgt R. C. Laurence,
S/Sgt W. C. Crigger,
S/Sgt C. P. Hammond.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Aberporth

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1942 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W1097

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe on a training exercise with a crew of eight on board. While cruising over the Irish Sea, the crew encountered technical problems with the fuel gauges. The captain decided to return to base but as he later realized he could not make it, he decided to divert to the nearest airbase which was RAF Aberporth, a small airfield unfitted for such big airplane. After touchdown, the bomber was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, lost its undercarriage, hit a hedge and came to rest in a field. All eight crew members were rescued, among them one was slightly injured. The airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
F/Sgt Henry Maximilian Slezak, pilot,
F/Sgt Arthur Douglas Swansburg, pilot,
P/O Norman Leslie Laing, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Gerald Robert Titus, observer,
Sgt John Walter Macaulay, wireless operator,
Sgt Joseph Daniel Creede, air gunner,
Sgt Kenneth Story Watson, air gunner,
F/Sgt Thomas Austin Withers, air gunner.

Probable cause:

The accident was attributed to engine failure, combined with a misjudged landing.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Aberaeron: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P5310

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Upper Heyford - Upper Heyford

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Circumstances:

The airplane was completing a training sortie from RAF Upper Heyford with a crew of four on board. En route, the crew encountered technical problems with the right engine after the propeller and reduction gear sheared off. The pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that crashed near Aberaeron. Two crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Alexander Douglas Scroggie, pilot, †
Sgt Reginald Frederick Arthur Young, observer, †
Sgt J. Bremmer,
Sgt Hart.

Probable cause:

The propeller and reduction gear sheared from the starboard engine in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Glasffrwd: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1286

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Circumstances:

While on a training exercise, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed in hilly terrain in Glasffrwd. Three crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
P/O George Bewick Bainbridge, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Gerald Cosgrave, pilot, †
F/Sgt William Powell, wireless operator, †
Sgt W. Breeze,
Sgt M. Scott,
Sgt J. A. Sellars,
Sgt H. G. Ford.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Aberystwyth: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1940 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

L4085

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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The airplane departed RAF Waddington on a raid over enemy positions. While returning to its base, it crashed in unclear circumstances into the Cardigan Bay off Aberystwyth. Two crew members were rescued and two others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Edward Deryck Farmer, pilot, †
Sgt R. D. Hobbs,
Sgt D. W. Seagar,
Sgt Cyril Edward Thomas Wood, wireless operator. †