Ballykelly - Ballykelly

On December 11, 1953 at 05:30 PM, Ballykelly - Ballykelly experienced a crash involving Avro 696 Shackleton, operated by Royal Air Force - RAF, with the event recorded near Isle of Mull Argyll.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

10 people were known to be on board, 10 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 10, crew fatalities: 10, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The aircraft departed RAF Ballykelly to conduct radar homings on a submarine in the Lough Foyle - Rathlin Island area; this exercise was to be followed by a navigation exercise. The crew completed the anti-submarine procedures and made its last radio call at 1715LT. At 1730LT several civilians on the Isle of Mull heard a low-flying aircraft and an explosion. Wreckage was found on the Isle of Mull and the nearby mainland, although it is not clear whether this wreckage was found on the coastline or further inland. All 10 crew died in the accident. The condition of some of the wreckage indicated an extremely violent impact, but the cause of the accident was never established. In March 1954, further wreckage was found in the Sound of Mull which led experts to conclude that the aircraft appeared to have struck the water whilst turning to starboard in a nose down attitude. A search of the high ground on the Isle of Mull did not reveal any evidence of a glancing impact. Contemporary press cuttings indicate that it crashed in the Sound of Mull with the wreckage being found by the frigate HMS Volage on 13th December 1953. A month later a further cutting reports two bodies being found. Crew: F/Lt Fielding Chevallier, pilot, F/Sgt Arthur Gordon McReavy, pilot, F/O Horace Alexander Brown, navigator, P/O Alfred Brinkman, navigator, Sgt Maurice Wilfred Richard Griffin, flight engineer, Sgt Patrick William Harrington, flight engineer, Sgt Lewis Ralph Allen, air signaller, Sgt Michael Barron Bern, air signaller, Sgt John Dodd, air signaller, Sgt Maurice James Griffin, air signaller. Source: https://www.findagrave.com

Aircraft reference details include registration WL746, year of manufacture 1953.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 56.4597°, -5.8621°.