Peak District Air Accident Research

Heyford Mk.III K6875 of 166 Sqn RAF crashed on Broadlee Bank Tor 22nd July 1937 while on a night cross country exercise from RAF Leconfield near Beverley. The aircraft was 13 miles off course at the time of the crash.

On the 22nd July 1937 the 6 man crew of Heyford K6875 were briefed to carry out a night cross country exercise from RAF Leconfield in east Yorkshire, the weather that night was poor, with low visibility.  The crew became lost in the cloud were seen to fire flares to illuminate the ground beneath to hopefully see a feature they could recognise, this proved fruitless as the aircraft flew up the Vale of Edale striking Broadlee Bank Tor just below the summit.  The aircraft burst into flames on impact killing all 6 of the crew and destroying the aircraft.  It has been stated that the aircraft was some 13 miles off course meaning the aircraft should have been either over Sheffield, Stockport or to the south of Huddersfield or Buxton.

This shows the tiny remains of K6875, just some small fragments of alloy and some bent strips of steel.

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