Peak District Air Accident Research

Handley Page Halifax Mk.II JP182, of No.14 Ferry Pilots Pool, crashed on Eel Crag below the summit of Crag Hill to the west of Keswick on the 24th January 1944.

The aircraft was ferried by two crew from No.14 FPP, stationed at Ringway, from RAF Kinloss in Scotland to No.5 Maintenance Unit at RAF Kemble in Gloucestershire. While on the leg from Kirkbride to Ringway the aircraft flew into Eel Crag just below its summit. The accident was quickly reported to the local Police who notified the RAF, the Mountain Rescue Team from Millom set out but returned to base after being told by the Police there were no survivors and handing the recovery operation over to a team from No.6 (C)OTU at RAF Silloth.

Bernard Short had been the pilot Leopard Moth AV986 when it crashed on Rushup Edge in the Peak District, this crash site still eludes us though.

The first real collection of wreckage from the aircraft is in a sheepfold near the base of the crags.

This photo is looking down hill from just below where the aircraft impacted, there is a long trail of small fragments down the mountain. At the impact point there is very little left. A couple of pieces of burnt alloy along with a few other fragments is all that is left at the impact point.

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