Incident Overview
Date: Sunday 9 January 1944
Aircraft Type: Consolidated Catalina IB (PBY-5B)
Owner/operator: Royal Air Force – RAF
Registration Number: FP193
Location: near Boa Island, Lough Erne –
ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 10
Component Affected: Pilot controls and navigation systems of the Catalina aircraft.Pilot controls and navigation systems of the Catalina aircraft.
Category: Accident
A Catalina aircraft crashed near Boa Island in Lough Erne after engaging in a non-operational low-level bombing exercise. The pilot failed to execute a diving turn, resulting in a direct impact into the water.A Catalina aircraft crashed near Boa Island in Lough Erne after engaging in a non-operational low-level bombing exercise. The pilot failed to execute a diving turn, resulting in a direct impact into the water.
Description
The Catalina took off from RAF Killadeas at 09:15, engaged in a non-operational low-level bombing exercise. It was making its second run over the target when it crashed near Boa Island in Lough Erne. It appeared that the pilot who was turning on to the target failed to pull out of a diving turn and flew straight into the water, crashing half-a-mile from the target. The surface of the Lough was calm and there were streaks on the surface.
Source of Information
http://www.joeoloughlin.co.uk/?p=178, http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?15613-440109-Unaccounted-Airmen-9-1-1944http://www.joeoloughlin.co.uk/?p=178, http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?15613-440109-Unaccounted-Airmen-9-1-1944Primary Cause
Pilot error ? failure to execute a diving turn during a bombing exercise.Pilot error ? failure to execute a diving turn during a bombing exercise.Share on:
