Douglas A-20G Havoc 43-9958, USAAF, flew into the ground close to Flash village between Buxton and Leek during the late afternoon of the 3rd January 1945

 

Eugene H. Howard

1st Lieutenant

Pilot

Killed

 

The aircraft was being ferried by a pilot from the 310th Ferry Squadron, 27th Air Transport Group from Stanstead to Burtonwood. His route was meant to have been Stanstead – Kettering – Leicester – Chester – Burtonwood but the pilot was flying north of this track. At about 16:30 the aircraft was heard approaching the Quarnford area near Flash and while still in cloud ploughed into the hill and disintegrated.

The pilot had had no prior experience on the A-20, but had accumulated nearly 1300 hours flight time, the lack of experience on A-20s was considered as being a possible factor in the crash as another A-20 aircraft had left Stanstead bound for Burtonwood at the same time as 1st Lt Howard. The second aircraft arrived safely.

The crash, and that of Lancaster NF908 only a few miles away which had occurred around 30 minutes earlier, was attended by the Mountain Rescue Team stationed at RAF Harpur Hill on the edge of Buxton. They mistakenly recorded this aircraft as a Douglas Dakota, but given the sheer destruction, obvious Douglas made parts and the presence of 2 engines this was possibly an easy error to make.