North American Sabre 2 19234 of No.137 (Transport) Flight, RCAF, crashed on Black Hill, Holme Moss 14th December 1954

Canadair Sabre 6 at the Museum of Flight, Seattle

 

Patrick Vernon Robinson Flying Officer Pilot Killed

 

During the mid-1950s a large number of RCAF Sabres were re-conditioned at Ringway before they were transferred to other NATO air forces. At the time of this crash the larger customers were Greece and Turkey. Once the work was completed on the aircraft they were handed back to the RCAF for a series of flight tests prior to delivery to their new owners. One such flight was being undertaken by F/O Patrick Robinson in December 1954. He had taken off from Ringway and headed eastwards before turning back to Manchester. The snow covered Pennines were obscured by low cloud when the aircraft was heard passing over the town of Holmfirth at low level, this was followed by the sound of it crashing. A search was soon mounted and within hours the wreckage was found strewn across the moorland on the eastern side of Black Hill, amongst it was the body of F/O Robinson who had been killed instantly in the crash.

Flying Officer Robinson was buried at North Luffenham in Leicestershire, at the time an RCAF air station.

Crash site of Sabre 19234 on Black Hill in December 2000
Alan looking at the remains of the jet on a snowy Holme Moss in December 2000.
Section of wing from Sabre 19234 on Black Hill in December 2000
Myself clearing snow from some stencilling beside a fuel filler point on part of one of the wings.
Stencilling on parts at the crash site of Sabre 19234 in the Peak District
A closer view of the stencilling still evident on the wreckage, this has weathered considerably in the last few years (2000 to 2007) with the red fading and text on the left hand side becoming increasingly faint.
Stencilling on parts at the crash site of Sabre 19234 in the Peak District
Faded paint on the fuel filling point in 2007.
Crash site of Sabre 19234 on Black Hill, Holmefirth in October 2007
The site in October 2007, most of the wreckage that was previously scattered along the aircraft’s line of flight has been gathered up into a few yards from where the few large pieces were in 2000.
View from the crash site of Sabre 19234 towards the Holme Moss TV transmitter
Another view of the now gathered up wreckage, there is now virtually nothing to show of the wreckage trail left when the aircraft crashed due to people piling up the remains.