Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 10 January 1952
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-47B-35-DK Dakota 3
Owner/operator: Aer Lingus
Registration Number: EI-AFL
Location: Cwm Edno, Wales –
ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 23 / Occupants: 23
Component Affected: DC-3 aircraftDC-3 aircraft
Category: Accident
On 17:25, a DC-3 aircraft, identified as ‘Saint Kevin’, departed Northolt Airport for an IFR flight to Dublin. Last radio contact was around 19:15, when the flight requested a descent. The Dublin controller granted the clearance, but the crew did not read back the clearance. A probable cause was a powerful down-current of air encountered on the lee side of Snowdon, which resulted in the aircraft descending into significant turbulence, potentially leading to loss of control.On 17:25, a DC-3 aircraft, identified as ‘Saint Kevin’, departed Northolt Airport for an IFR flight to Dublin. Last radio contact was around 19:15, when the flight requested a descent. The Dublin controller granted the clearance, but the crew did not read back the clearance. A probable cause was a powerful down-current of air encountered on the lee side of Snowdon, which resulted in the aircraft descending into significant turbulence, potentially leading to loss of control.
Description
The DC-3 (named ‘Saint Kevin’) departed Northolt Airport at 17:25 for an IFR flight to Dublin. Last radio contact with the flight was around 19:15 when the flight requested a descent. The request was granted by the Dublin controller, but the clearance was not read back by the DC-3 crew. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The encountering of a powerful down-current of air on the lee side of Snowdon which forced the aircraft down into an area of very great turbulence were through one or another of several possible causes the pilot or pilots lost control.”
Primary Cause
Powerful down-current of air encountered on the lee side of Snowdon, potentially leading to loss of control.Powerful down-current of air encountered on the lee side of Snowdon, potentially leading to loss of control.Share on:
