Avro Anson Mk.21 VV955 of the Coastal Command Communications Flight flew into Foel Lwyd, Tal y Fan, Conwy on the 20th May 1959

 

Ernest Alfred Hart Flight Lieutenant Pilot Killed
Pran Nath Handa Flying Officer Navigator Killed
John Eley Preston AFC Group Captain Passenger Killed

 

The Coastal Command Communications Flight was attached to the Headquarters of RAF Coastal Command to provide transport for staff. On the 20th May 1959 Flight Lieutenant Hart with Flying Officer Handa were tasked to fly from the Flight’s home station at RAF Bovingdon in Hertfordshire with Group Captain Preston, from HQ Coastal Command, as a passenger to RAF Ballykelly near Londonderry in North Ireland. While on route to Ballykelly Flt Lt Hart was instructed to divert to RAF Valley on Anglesey due to poor weather. He turned the aircraft onto a south westerly heading to follow the North Wales coast towards Anglesey, however the aircraft strayed into cloud and flew into the south eastern side of Foel Lywd near Conwy just below its summit.

Undercarriage oleo from Avro Anson VV955, which crashed on Foel Lwyd, Conwy
Little remains at the crash site of Anson VV955 today, close to the point of impact is one of the undercarriage oleos.
Undercarriage oleo from Avro Anson VV955, which crashed on Foel Lwyd, Conwy
A second photo of the undercarriage oleo, looking roughly south east.
Crash site of Avro Anson VV955 on Tal y Fan, Conwy
The point of impact of the aircraft is in the foreground of this photograph which replicates one published in No Landing Place taken shortly after the crash.