1949 Exhall mid-air collision

1949 Exhall mid-air collision
Occurrence summary
Date 19 February 1949
Summary Mid-air collision
Site Exhall, Warwickshire, United Kingdom
52°28′05″N 1°30′40″W / 52.468°N 1.511°W / 52.468; -1.511Coordinates: 52°28′05″N 1°30′40″W / 52.468°N 1.511°W / 52.468; -1.511
Total injuries (non-fatal) 0
Total fatalities 14
Total survivors 0
First aircraft
Type Douglas Dakota
Operator British European Airways
Registration G-AHCW
Flight origin Northolt Airport, England, United Kingdom
Destination Glasgow-Renfrew Airport, Scotland, United Kingdom
Passengers 6
Crew 4
Injuries (non-fatal) 0
Fatalities 10
Survivors 0
Second aircraft
Type Avro Anson T21
Operator Royal Air Force
Registration VV243
Flight origin RAF Middleton St. George, United Kingdom
Destination RAF Middleton St. George, United Kingdom
Passengers 0
Crew 4
Injuries (non-fatal) 0
Fatalities 4
Survivors 0

The Exhall mid-air collision happened on Saturday 19 February 1949 over the village of Exhall when a British European Airways Douglas Dakota collided in clear weather with a Royal Air Force Avro Anson T21.[1]

The Dakota was on a flight from Northolt Airport near London to Glasgow-Renfrew Airport in Scotland. With a crew of four it was carrying six passengers,[2] and had taken off from Northolt at 09:13 hr.[3] The Royal Air Force Avro Anson T21 was being operated by No. 2 Air Navigation School on a cross-country training exercise from RAF Middleton St. George.[2]

The two aircraft collided at 4500 ft near the village of Exhall, near Coventry in Warwickshire.[1][2] The wreckage fell near an old peoples' home, the Exhall Lodge Hospital. There were no survivors.[2]

Although the weather at the time of the crash was clear,[4] the accident investigation concluded that the crew of neither aircraft saw each other, possibly due to glare from the sun, and blamed the accident on a failure on the part of both captains to keep a proper look-out for other aircraft.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network
  2. 1 2 3 4 "14 Killed in Air Crash" (News). The Times (London). Monday, 21 February 1949. (51311), col D, p. 2.
  3. 1 2 "Civil Aviation News:Dakota-Anson Collision". Flight (6 October 1949): 471–472.
  4. "Civil Aviation News:Dakota-Anson Collision". Flight (24 February 1949): 231.
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