English Electric Canberra B. Mk.2 WK129 being operated by the Radar Research Establishment at RAF Pershore, crashed on Carnedd Llewelyn on the 9th December 1957

 

William Albert Bell Flight Lieutenant Pilot Killed
Kenneth Charles Frederick Shelley Flight Lieutenant Navigator Killed

 

The crew were taking part in testing in conjuction with a Ministry of Supply radar unit positioned on the summit of near by Drum. After completing the test Flt Lt Bell radioed to the radar operators stating that they were returning to base. When nothing further was heard from the crew a search was initiated, the radar unit had tracked the aircraft until it was some 10 miles north of Drum but there was no track beyond there. Later the wreckage was discovered by search parties on the northern side of Carnedd Llewelyn. The aircraft had been flying in patchy low cloud on an easterly track when it struck Carnedd Llewelyn some 300 feet below the summit on the ridge connecting the mountain to Foel Grach. The forward end of the aircraft broke up leaving many pieces of structure from the forward fuselage on western side of the ridge. There is then a break in the wreckage trail which starts again on the eastern side of the ridge on the slopes above Ffynnon Llyffant. The centre section, wings and rear fuselage eventually crashed to earth near this small lake, though other pieces did travel some distance beyond here.

The reason for the aircraft being below its safety height could not be ascertained, a possibility was put forward by the crew’s commander as engine failure due to icing. That day icing conditions were expected above 3,000ft.

Wreckage at the crash site of English Electric Canberra B. Mk.2 Wk129 on Carnedd Llewelyn, Snowdonia, Wales
These are some of the pieces that can be found at the impact point of the aircraft.
Wreckage at the crash site of English Electric Canberra B. Mk.2 Wk129 on Carnedd Llewelyn, Snowdonia, Wales
This photograph shows the same parts as the one shown above, the path to the summit of Carnedd Llwellyn is between this point and the large outcrop in the centre of the photo.
Wreckage near the crash site of English Electric Canberra B. Mk.2 Wk129 on Carnedd Llewelyn, Snowdonia, Wales
This is one of the first pieces found on the upper slopes on the eastern side of the ridge just below the outcrop seen in the previous photograph.
Wreckage near the crash site of English Electric Canberra B. Mk.2 Wk129 on Carnedd Llewelyn, Snowdonia, Wales
Lower down are numerous small parts, above is an example of some of them, the piece in the background is a shattered piece of engine casing from the compressor.
Wreckage near the crash site of English Electric Canberra B. Mk.2 Wk129 on Carnedd Llewelyn, Snowdonia, Wales
This photo is looking back up from the engine remains shown below. The aircraft impacted on the opposite side of the ridge to the left of the promontory just left of the centre.
Engine wreckage beside Ffynnon Llyffant, Carnedd Llewelyn, from English Electric Camberra WK129
Most of the heavier engine parts lie close to Ffynnon Llyffant, the pieces are from the rear part of one of the Avon engines.
Wheel and tyre in Ffynnon Llyffant, Carnedd Llewelyn from English Electric Canberra WK129
One of the aircraft’s main wheels lies in the lake, someone has cut DUNLOP out of the tyre, the other is about 200m away.
Aircraft wreckage, at Ffynnon Llyffant, near the crash site on Carnedd Llewelyn (Snowdonia) of English Electric Canberra WK129
A pile of pieces has been gather up near the lake.
The piece of jet pipe in the foreground can be seen in one of the earlier shots about 10 yards away, having been moved by a visitor to the site in the 6 years since my first visit to the site.
Speed Brake from English Electric Canberra WK129 on Carnedd Llewelyn
Many other pieces can be found in the river leading away from the bulk of the wreckage.
Lower down on Carnedd Llewelyn is one of airbrakes from the aircraft, this is about 1 mile from the point of impact.
This was not the lowest piece we saw, that was a piece at the base of Craig yr Ysfa, it must have been carried down and then dumped. Probably the person who did it got bored of carrying it.