Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 of the 17th Ferrying Group, USAAF, flew into Beinn Nuis on the 30th September 1943

Lockheed Hudson at the Royal Air Force Museum

 

John R. MacKenzie 1st Lieutenant Pilot Killed
Richard H. Riddle 2nd Lieutenant Co-pilot Killed
William Silberg Private Radio Operator Killed
John G. Johnson Staff Sergeant Engineer Killed
Bernard T. Boone Private 1st Class Air Engineer Killed
Louis C. Goldsmith Major Passenger Killed
John M. Fantasky Staff Sergeant Passenger Killed

 

The aircraft was on a transport flight from Prestwick on the Ayrshire coast to Stornaway in the Western Isles it had taken off at 09:49 GMT for the 1 hour 25 minute flight to Stornaway. The weather that day was cloudy with some rain, the cloud base was expected to be 1,500ft at the lowest.

Crash site of Lockheed C-60A 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
The photo above was taken close to where the aircraft impacted Beinn Nuis. All that remains today on the steep ground where the aircraft crashed are small fragments and a few larger pieces of wreckage.

When the aircraft failed to arrive at Stornaway and its crew could not be contacted a search was mounted, when the weather had improved 2 days later on the 2nd October the wreck was spotted close to the summit of Beinn Nuis on the Isle of Arran. It had flown into the eastern face of the mountain shortly after taking off from Prestwick, in much the same way as ATFERO Liberator AM261 had done north of Goat Fell two years earlier.

Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
A view looking down from close to the point of impact in July 2018 showing one of the larger remaining pieces of wreckage. Much of the wreckage was as it had been when the previous visit was made in 2004.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
A 2018 view looking up the gully the aircraft crashed in.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
Looking down the gully which contains a large number of small items from the aircraft.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
Engine parts from the aircraft, the upper piece is part of a cylinder head and the lower part of the gearbox casing.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
Some of the structural parts of the aircraft which remain scattered down the mountain.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
Lower down the mountain are some collections of larger pieces of the aircraft, this being one of those collections.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
Further pieces on the lower slopes.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
A series of control wire pulleys below the crash site.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
This is part of an engine’s induction piping with heat shielding and brackets for exhaust gills attached.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
This is a lead counter-weight from one of the flying control surfaces of the aircraft.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
At first this looked like an electric motor or generator but appears to have been a large inductor used for suppressing electrical interference.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
Also in the lower part of the wreckage trail was this part, which when I found it I thought was the top of an aerial but have since found out is the remains of a 1 million candle power flame float.
Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
This photograph is taken looking across the slope towards the summit of Beinn Nuis, the crash site being in the gully which rises steeply to the right of the image.

The crash site of this aircraft is close to those of B-24 42-41030 which was lost a month prior and B-17 42-97286 which crashed in 1944.

Crash site of Lockheed C-60A Lodestar 42-56014 on Beinn Nuis, Isle of Arran
The crash site is in the gully on the left hand side of the granite tower in this photograph which was taken while walking around the mountain towards the B-17 crash site.

Four of the crew where laid to rest at Cambridge American Cemetery, they were:

Grave of 1st Lieutenant John R. MacKenzie at Cambridge American Military Cemetery
1st Lt MacKenzie
Grave of 2nd Lieutenant Richard H. Riddle at Cambridge American Military Cemetery
2nd Lt Riddle
Grave of Major Louis C. Goldsmith at Cambridge American Military Cemetery
Major Goldsmith
Grave of Technical Sergeant John M. Fantasky at Cambridge American Military Cemetery
Technical Sergeant Fantaskey