de Havilland Dominie Mk.1 X7400 of No.782 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy, crashed on Dollar Law near Peebles on the 28th February 1949

de Havilland Dominie

 

Thomas Edward Sargent RD Lieutenant Commander, RNR Pilot Survived

 

The aircraft was being flown to RNAS Donibristle at Dalgety Bay in Fife when its port engine failed at 6,500ft, the pilot was unable to maintain height on one engine and was forced to descend through cloud cover and eventually crashed on the upper slopes of Dollar Law near Peebles while still in cloud.

Lieutenant Commander Sargent had served with the Royal Naval Reserve so some time, having been awared his Reserve Decoration for long service in 1942, indicating that he had served as an officer since at least 1927, he retired from the RNR in 1952.

Crash site of de Havilland Dominie X7400 on Dollar Law near Peebles, Scottish Borders
The aircraft was badly damaged in the crash, but was largely salvaged before the remaining items were burnt, this area is marked by a scar on the hillside.
Crash site of de Havilland Dominie X7400 on Dollar Law near Peebles, Scottish Borders
Most of the remaining items from the aircraft are steel interplane struts and undercarriage parts, this shows some of them looking down hill.
Crash site of de Havilland Dominie X7400 on Dollar Law near Peebles, Scottish Borders
A slightly closer view of some of the remaining steel items, very little remains of the smaller parts with the exception of fragments of glass and some cowling clips.
de Havilland Dominie X7400 on Dollar Law, image via David Smith
Dominie X7400 shortly after it crashed on Dollar Law.
Via David Smith
Crash site of de Havilland Dominie X7400 on Dollar Law near Peebles, Scottish Borders
A view of the crash site of X7400 looking in the same direction as the photograph taken shortly after the crash.