Peak District Air Accident Research

C-47A 41-7803 of the 18th TCS, 64th Troop Carrier Group, USAAF, crashed on Moel Y Gaer near Llangollan on the 23rd August 1942

# = Known to be 14th FG.

The aircraft was being used to transfer personnel of the 14th Fighter Group from the US at the beginning of that unit's deployment to the European Theatre of Operations. In the days before the crash the aircraft had flown the legs from the 14th FG's normal peace time station to Prestwick. An overnight stop was made in Scotland before the final section of the journey to Atcham was to be made. During the 23rd August the aircraft took off from Prestwick and headed south, the weather en-route was cloudy and as the aircraft reached North Wales the crew began a descent through the weather. While still in cloud the C-47 struck the northern side of Moel-y-Gaer close to the site of a prehistoric hill fort, the airframe broke up and set on fire.

I contacted the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell to see if they had anything on file about the crash but were unable to locate any mention of the aircraft's loss.

This photo shows the scar left by 41-7803 on the top of Moel y Gaer, almost nothing is left of the aircraft today.

A number of the crew and passengers were buried at Cambridge American Cemetery

1st Lt Richard Pazder, Navigator.

Technical Sgt Jonathan B. Akers, Passenger.

Technical Sgt Robert E. Anderson, Passenger.

Technical Sgt Raymond S. Nash, Passenger.

Technical Sgt Jesse L. Patterson, Passenger.

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