Manchester – Ronaldsway

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.

Flight / Schedule

Manchester – Ronaldsway

Registration

G-ADEE

MSN

6099

Year of Manufacture

1935

Date

October 26, 1935 at 12:08 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Blackpool Lancashire

Region

Europe • United Kingdom

Coordinates

53.8179°, -3.0510°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

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°.

Fatalities

Total

2

Crew

1

Passengers

1

Other

0

Crash Summary

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.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

1

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 2

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Manchester – Ronaldsway

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

Europe • United Kingdom

Aircraft Details

Registration

G-ADEE

MSN

6099

Year of Manufacture

1935

Similar Plane Crashes

June 8, 1918 at 12:00 AM5 Fatalities

Handley Page Aircraft Company Ltd

Handley Page V/1500

Assembled at Cricklewood Airfield in May 1918, the aircraft departed Cricklewood for its 13th test flight, carrying six crew members. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of about 700-800 feet, all four engines stopped. The pilot elected to return for an emergency landing when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located in front of 21 Garrick Avenue in Golders Green, bursting into flames. Colonel Ogilvie, who was seating in the tail gunner position at the back of the plane, survived, while all five other occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Vernon Earl George Busby, pilot, † Mr. Bertram G. Cooper, † Mr. R. P. Cooper, † Mr. W. H. Hathaway, † Mr. J. W. Windebank, † Colonel Ogilvie.

July 14, 1918 at 12:00 AM1 Fatalities

Marine Aeroplane Depot

Fairey III

The pilot departed Isle of Grain on a delivery flight to Glasgow-Renfrew Airport. On approach to RAF Usworth (RAF Hylton), he elected to make a go-around when the aircraft lost height and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, Captain Arthur Leslie Simms, was killed.

July 18, 1918 at 12:00 AM2 Fatalities

Royal Air Force - RAF

De Havilland DH.6

The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Seaton Carew when the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Charles David Danby, pilot, 1st Class E. A. Bannister, mechanic.

August 19, 1918 at 03:15 PM7 Fatalities

Royal Air Force - RAF

Handley Page H.P.12

The aircraft departed Castle Bromwich for a test flight, carrying five engineers and two crew members. En route, the twin engine aircraft suffered technical problems with a wing, lost height and crashed in a field located in Maxstoke. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed. Crew: Lt Robert Edward Macbeth, Lt Frederick James Bravery, 1st Air Mechanic James Benjamn May, 2nd Air Mechanic Albert J. Winrow, 2nd Air Mechanic H. Simmonds, 3rd Air Mechanic Charles William Offord, 3rd George Greenland.

August 26, 1918 at 12:00 AM

Royal Air Force - RAF

Blackburn R.T.1 Kangaroo

On final approach in bad visibility, aircraft was too low. It struck the ground short of runway and crashed. Both occupants were injured. Crew was performing a training flight on behalf of the 246th Squadron.

September 13, 1918 at 12:00 PM

Royal Air Force - RAF

De Havilland DH.9

The pilot tried to return to his base but due to low visibility by night, he lost his orientation. He elected to make an emergency landing in an open field but the aircraft hit a tree and crashed. The pilot was injured.