Incident Overview
Date: Sunday 10 December 1944
Aircraft Type: Douglas Dakota III (DC-3)
Owner/operator: Royal Air Force – RAF
Registration Number: KG584
Location: Leith Hill, Surrey –
ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Aircraft engine and control systems.Aircraft engine and control systems.
Category: Accident
A British Airways aircraft, B56, departed from Base, RAF Station Down Ampney, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, after temporary repairs. Due to deteriorating weather conditions, the aircraft was instructed to fly into the base of the cloud. It then deviated and struck Leith Hill, still in cloud, despite failing to respond to ‘Darky’ calls.A British Airways aircraft, B56, departed from Base, RAF Station Down Ampney, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, after temporary repairs. Due to deteriorating weather conditions, the aircraft was instructed to fly into the base of the cloud. It then deviated and struck Leith Hill, still in cloud, despite failing to respond to ‘Darky’ calls.
Description
Struck Leith Hill, Surrey, U.K. A Court of Inquiry into the accident reported: “The aircraft left B56 for Base, RAF Station Down Ampney, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, after having some temporary repairs made to the aircraft. Weather conditions were not good but were sufficient for this flight to be carried out. On nearing Gatwick, the aircraft was observed flying in and out of the base of the cloud. After failing to answer “Darky” calls from Gatwick, the aircraft disappeared into cloud and apparently commenced a right hand turn, and whilst doing so struck Leith Hill still in cloud.”
Source of Information
https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/images/collection/pdf/RC09125_006–1-.pdfhttps://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/images/collection/pdf/RC09125_006–1-.pdfPrimary Cause
Weather conditions were insufficient for safe flight, leading to deviation and collision with the terrain.Weather conditions were insufficient for safe flight, leading to deviation and collision with the terrain.Share on:
