Incident Overview
Date: Sunday 26 November 1944
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-47A-30-DK (DC-3)
Owner/operator: United States Army Air Force – USAAF
Registration Number: 43-47975
Location: Leith Hill –
ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: Unknown
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Component Affected: C-47 Douglas aircraftC-47 Douglas aircraft
Category: Accident
A four USAAF Douglas C-47 aircraft formation encountered low-level cloud cover while returning to Chalgrove in Oxfordshire. The formation descended to 1200 feet following a La Treport and Beachy Head route, resulting in an impact at Leith Hill.A four USAAF Douglas C-47 aircraft formation encountered low-level cloud cover while returning to Chalgrove in Oxfordshire. The formation descended to 1200 feet following a La Treport and Beachy Head route, resulting in an impact at Leith Hill.
Description
A four aircraft formation of USAAF Douglas C-47’s left Villeneuve-Advanced Landing Ground A-63 in France at about 16:40 and proceeded via La Treport and Beachy Head in order to return to their base at Chalgrove in Oxfordshire. The aircraft were flying in a 3 ship V formation with the fourth aircraft completing the diamond in echelon to the left of the No. 2 aircraft (43-47975). Low clouds forced the formation to descend from 1500 ft to 1200 ft after crossing the English coast. The aircraft then descended another 200 feet until three of the aircraft (42-92837 [msn 12682], 42-93754 [msn 13701] and 43-47975 [msn 13791/25236]) impacted Leith Hill.
Source of Information
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=26994http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=26994Primary Cause
Low-level cloud coverLow-level cloud coverShare on:
