ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 27732
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: | Wednesday 12 March 1947 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor |
| Owner/operator: | United States Army Air Force |
| Registration: | 44-47194 |
| MSN: | 7125 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Black Combe Hill, near Havrigg, Cumberland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Prestwick, Ayrshire (EGPK) |
| Bovingdon, Herfordshire (EGBN) |
On 12th March 1947 this aircraft was being ferried from Prestwick airfield to Bovingdon in Hertfordshire, the probable route was to have been down the west coast of England and crossing over the country much further south. As it flew over the side of the Lake District the aircraft entered a snow storm and the aircraft flew into the hill of Black Combe, near Haverigg, Cumberland.
The aircraft stayed in one piece and the two airmen on board survived with only minor injuries being sustained. Because of the poor weather the men opted to stay in the shelter of the aircraft over night rather than try and descend the mountain and seek help. The aircraft wireless receiver was still working but the transmitter had been broken in the crash, the men could hear that they were being looked for but could not reply to the messages.
They made their way off the mountain after spending the night sheltering in the aircraft and found their way to Holegyhll Farm. Deep snow blocked many of the roads around Millom and after a huge effort by local people the two airmen were taken Bootle railway station and eventually to Whitehaven Hospital. The accident was later put down to an in correct weather forecast and the pilot hitting the ground while climbing after flying a lower visual route to begin to fly on instruments at a much higher height.
As a footnote to this incident, before the RAF could place a guard on the site three Millom Grammar School boys had heard of the accident and climbed to the aircraft to inspect it. One of the boys returned to lower ground before a blizzard started but two of the boys opted to see out the blizzard by sheltering inside in the aircraft; this became an overnight stay until the weather cleared, and the following day they made their way down the mountain.
Pilot - Captain William Joseph Daner DFC USAF (O-26215). Minor injuries.
Passenger - 1st Lt Artie Garner USAF (O-870565). Minor injuries.
Beechcraft C-45F 44-47194 saw British military service as Beechcraft Expeditor Mk.II KJ469, being returned to USAAF service on 11 April 1946.
Sources:
1. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-beechcraft-c-45-expeditor-near-haverigg
2. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/lakes/47194.html
3. https://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/lake-district/beechcraft-c-45-44-47194-black-combe/
4. http://aircrashsites.co.uk/air-crash-sites-5/usaf-beech-c-45-44-47194/
5. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html
6. Photo of wreckage 22-1-2011: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pasujoba44/5381828080
7. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/51684-what-raf-squadrons-flew-the-c-45-expeditor/&do=findComment&comment=546530
8. https://www.flickr.com/photos/pasujoba44/5381828080
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Combe
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 11 March 1947 | 44-47194 | United States Army Air Force (USAAF) | 0 | Black Combe Hill, near Haverigg, Cumberland | |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 25-Aug-2011 14:54 | Uli Elch | Updated [Registration, Operator] |
| 17-Mar-2014 07:25 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 06-Sep-2014 15:03 | A.J.Scholten | Updated [Registration, Narrative] |
| 02-Mar-2019 02:06 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Nov-2019 23:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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