ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 370197
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Tuesday 11 April 1944 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Vickers Wellington MkIII |
| Owner/operator: | 22 OTU |
| Registration: | BJ601 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 5 miles Southeast of Rhayader -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Wellesbourne Mountford |
| Return. |
Details:
RAF Wellesbourne Mountford.
Early in 1941 the Government purchased over 200 acres of Warwickshire farmland 6 miles East of Stratford Upon Avon. By the Summer, new runways had replaced crops and livestock and the farmhouse of the Littler family. It was designated as RAF Wellesbourne Mountford, the base of No.22 Operational Training Unit until the close of the war in 1945. No. 22 OTU was equipped with Vickers Wellington bombers supplemented by Avro Anson navigational trainers.
During the war Wellesbourne lost 96 Wellingtons in operational and training accidents. 80 airmen were injured and 315 killed. These comprised of 243 Canadians, 59 RAF, 9 New Zealand, 2 Belgian, 1 Australian and 1 WAAF.
Wellesbourne was closed in 1964 and put on care and maintenance until it was sold back to its pre-war owners, the Littler Family in 1965.
22 Operational Training Unit.
On the 14th of April 1941 No. 22 OTU was formed. This was devoted to the training of UK and Commonwealth aircrews, pilots, navigators, bomb-aimers, wireless operators and air gunners. At its peak in March 1944 RAF Wellesbourne was turning out 113 aircrews a month.
BJ601 took off from Wellesbourne for a daytime navigation exercise which took them over Wales. Sometime during the flight one of the engines failed, the pilot and flight engineer tried re-starting the motor but without success, the pilot then tried to ‘Feather’ the propeller but that too didn’t work, with the result of the ‘windmilling’ props’ caused drag. Soon afterwards the out-of-control propeller started to tear away at the gearbox, gradually breaking the engine apart. During this event, the airspeed dropped rapidly along with the altitude. Being over the high ground of mid Wales the order to bale out was given. All six-crew got out without any trouble, and all landed without serious injury.
BJ601 carried on for a short while the airspeed finally stalled, sending the doomed bomber to crash. On the ground, the farmer at Wern Breig farm, 5 miles Southeast of Rhayader. Was ploughing one of his fields by horse and plough and his wife was in the kitchen. The field that the kitchen window looked out onto was full of sheep and new-born lambs, all a picture-perfect scene of Springtime. When the peace was interrupted by a distant drone of an aircraft. Not an unusual event with an aircraft passing over at all times of the day. This one however, sounded very differently and seemed to be getting louder. Mr Pugh paused from his ploughing and looked up, only to see white blooms emitting from an aircraft which was in obvious trouble and heading towards him! It was all he could do but run as fast as his wellingtons would allow, back towards his farmhouse which his wife doing her work. The bomber passed very low overhead and just missing the house, it disappeared behind, immediately an explosion happened with a plume of black smoke rising into the air.
By the time he came around the house, only to be greeted by his wife standing at the doorway. The scene now was anything other than ‘picture-perfect’. The bomber had burst into flames and was well alight, any thought of giving aid to anyone still inside was forgotten, even more distressing was the sight of dead sheep on fire scattered around the wreck. (Mr Pugh received compensation from the Air Ministry later for the loss of their sheep and lambs.)
Crew:
(Only two found)
Sgt Shaver RCAF. Injured.
Sgt D.G. Chance RCAF. Uninjured.
Wreckage:
The ground being agricultural and close to roads, gives up very little but only to the eye of the farmer, two indentations in the ground where the engines impacted, remain.
Memorials:
Memorial to the crew who flew from Wellesbourne Mountford, mounted inside St Peters Church in Wellesbourne.
Sources:
www.rafcommands.com
www.avaitionarcheology.org.uk
www.rafinfo.org.uk
www.bbc.co.uk
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Mar-2024 08:07 | Davies 62 | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation