Wigsley - Wigsley
Flight / Schedule
Wigsley - Wigsley
Aircraft
Short S.29 StirlingRegistration
LK502
Operator
Royal Air Force - RAFDate
May 27, 1944 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Training
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Rudyard Staffordshire
Region
Europe • United Kingdom
Coordinates
53.1180°, -2.0676°
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On May 27, 1944 at 12:00 AM, Wigsley - Wigsley experienced a crash involving Short S.29 Stirling, operated by Royal Air Force - RAF, with the event recorded near Rudyard Staffordshire.
The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
8 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 50.0%.
Crew on board: 8, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. The crew was involved in a night photography exercise and left RAF Wigsley bound for the Menai Bridge and back. En route, at least one engine failed and the aircraft lost height. The captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft but only four crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed. Four crew members survived while all four others were killed. Crew (1654th HCU): F/O Gordon Noble Leach, pilot, † F/S Frederick Thomas James Nicholls, flight engineer, F/S Arthur C. Brett, flight engineer, F/S Geoffray Norman Wise, navigator, Sgt D. C. Watson, bomb aimer, F/S Bernard David Fine, wireless operator, † Sgt Harry Ward, air gunner, † Sgt Charles David Howes, air gunner. †
Aircraft reference details include registration LK502.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 53.1180°, -2.0676°.
Fatalities
Total
4
Crew
4
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The crew was involved in a night photography exercise and left RAF Wigsley bound for the Menai Bridge and back. En route, at least one engine failed and the aircraft lost height. The captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft but only four crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed. Four crew members survived while all four others were killed. Crew (1654th HCU): F/O Gordon Noble Leach, pilot, † F/S Frederick Thomas James Nicholls, flight engineer, F/S Arthur C. Brett, flight engineer, F/S Geoffray Norman Wise, navigator, Sgt D. C. Watson, bomb aimer, F/S Bernard David Fine, wireless operator, † Sgt Harry Ward, air gunner, † Sgt Charles David Howes, air gunner. †
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
8
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
4
Fatality Rate
50.0%
Known people on board: 8
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Wigsley - Wigsley
Operator
Royal Air Force - RAFFlight Type
Training
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
Europe • United Kingdom
Aircraft Details
Aircraft
Short S.29 StirlingRegistration
LK502
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