Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale

The crew left RAF Castle Archdale at 0203LT to localize German submarine cruising off the Irish coast. Weather conditions were marginal and the visibility was limited due to a cloud layer at 1,000 feet. The night was very dark. The aircraft passed over the village of Kellybegs and continued to the north when it hit the slope of Mt Cró na Roda (Mt Crownarad) at a height of 471 meters. All 12 occupants were killed. Crew (201st Squadron): F/Sgt R. D. A. Becker, F/Sgt S. B. Frith, F/O V. Howkins, Sgt J. R. Mansfield, F/Sgt J. G. Robinson, F/S G. R. Kennedy, Sgt F. N. G. Ford, F/Sgt D. J. T. Twist, F/Sgt C. J. Ryder, F/O R. Delby, Sgt R. F. Woodward. Source: http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/ml743.htm

Flight / Schedule

Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale

Registration

ML743

Date

March 14, 1945 at 02:33 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Mt Crownarad Ulster

Region

Europe • Ireland

Coordinates

54.6593°, -8.5019°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On March 14, 1945 at 02:33 AM, Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale experienced a crash involving Short S.25 Sunderland, operated by Royal Air Force - RAF, with the event recorded near Mt Crownarad Ulster.

The flight was categorized as survey / patrol / reconnaissance and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

12 people were known to be on board, 12 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 12, crew fatalities: 12, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew left RAF Castle Archdale at 0203LT to localize German submarine cruising off the Irish coast. Weather conditions were marginal and the visibility was limited due to a cloud layer at 1,000 feet. The night was very dark. The aircraft passed over the village of Kellybegs and continued to the north when it hit the slope of Mt Cró na Roda (Mt Crownarad) at a height of 471 meters. All 12 occupants were killed. Crew (201st Squadron): F/Sgt R. D. A. Becker, F/Sgt S. B. Frith, F/O V. Howkins, Sgt J. R. Mansfield, F/Sgt J. G. Robinson, F/S G. R. Kennedy, Sgt F. N. G. Ford, F/Sgt D. J. T. Twist, F/Sgt C. J. Ryder, F/O R. Delby, Sgt R. F. Woodward. Source: http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/ml743.htm

Aircraft reference details include registration ML743.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 54.6593°, -8.5019°.

Fatalities

Total

12

Crew

12

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The crew left RAF Castle Archdale at 0203LT to localize German submarine cruising off the Irish coast. Weather conditions were marginal and the visibility was limited due to a cloud layer at 1,000 feet. The night was very dark. The aircraft passed over the village of Kellybegs and continued to the north when it hit the slope of Mt Cró na Roda (Mt Crownarad) at a height of 471 meters. All 12 occupants were killed. Crew (201st Squadron): F/Sgt R. D. A. Becker, F/Sgt S. B. Frith, F/O V. Howkins, Sgt J. R. Mansfield, F/Sgt J. G. Robinson, F/S G. R. Kennedy, Sgt F. N. G. Ford, F/Sgt D. J. T. Twist, F/Sgt C. J. Ryder, F/O R. Delby, Sgt R. F. Woodward. Source: http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/ml743.htm

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

12

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 12

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Castle Archdale - Castle Archdale

Flight Type

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

Europe • Ireland

Aircraft Details

Registration

ML743

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