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.