de Havilland Dragon Rapide G-AFMF of Oldstead Aircraft crashed on Simonburn Common near Hexham on the 19th February 1954
Brian Kyneston Waugh | Pilot | Survived |
Walter Glover | Passenger | Survived |
John Harper | Passenger | Survived |
Dennis Jolly | Passenger | Survived |
Robert (Robin) John Phillips | Passenger | Survived |
Monty Rosen | Passenger | Survived |
Harvey Shenker | Passenger | Survived |
Allan Smith | Passenger | Survived |
The aircraft, which was operated from Sunderland as a private charter aircraft, was being flown from Wolsington (Newcastle Airport) to Dublin with the Durham University Amateur Boxing team as passengers. Approximately 10 minutes after leaving Newcastle the pilot noticed a large build up of ice on the wings and the aircraft would not climb about 3,200ft with the port engine losing 200rpm. He decided to return to Newcastle but within 1 minute had lost control of the aircraft which entered a dive. During the recovery Mr Waugh attempted applying full power with both engine but when nothing appeared to happen he closed both throttles. After this point the aircraft levelled out, lost almost all of its forward speed and almost immediately after struck the ground on Simonburn Common with the undercarriage, which dug a pair of furrows some 2ft deep, it slid for another 20 yards before it came to a halt and caught fire.


