Manchester – Ronaldsway

On October 26, 1935 at 12:08 PM, Manchester – Ronaldsway experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.84 Dragon, operated by Railway Air Services, with the event recorded near Blackpool Lancashire.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The twin engine aircraft left Manchester-Barton Airport at 1100LT bound for Ronaldsway, Isle of Man, with one pilot and one passenger on board. At 1155LT, the pilot reported he was flying at a height of some 500 feet in poor visibility. Less than fifteen minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 1,500 feet, he saw the mountain at the last moment and tried to gain altitude. Unfortunately, the aircraft hit the slope of Mount Fair Snape Fell located some 30 km northeast of Blackpool and was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire. Both occupants were killed. It appears the aircraft hit the mountain 200 feet from the summit and the correction made by the pilot was too late to avoid the obstacle. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to mist. Crew: Cedric Rex Crow, pilot. Passenger: Ronald Swales.

Aircraft reference details include registration G-ADEE, MSN 6099, year of manufacture 1935.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 53.8179°, -3.0510°.