3 fatalities

Crew Killed in Snowdon Crash After Weather Check Omission (VM407)

Mt Snowdon, United KingdomFlight

On August 11, 1952, an Avro 652 Anson (registration VM407) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Snowdon, United Kingdom in flight. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The departure was precipitated by an instruction to return as quickly as possible, leading the crew to neglect a weather check en route, leaving them unaware of the degradation. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

Three crew members died when their aircraft struck Mount Snowdon after losing orientation in fog. The crew had been ordered to return quickly and did not check weather conditions.

Flight Details

The aircraft was returning from Belfast-Aldergrove to RAF Llandow, carrying spare parts. The flight was conducted under a directive to return to base as quickly as possible.

Accident Sequence

En route, weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds and fog. The crew lost spatial orientation and were unable to determine their position. The aircraft subsequently impacted the slope of Mount Snowdon.

Crew and Recovery

The three crew members were identified as M/Plt Julian Maleńczuk, F/Sgt J. Tracey, and F/Sgt W. Elliott. All three were killed in the accident. The wreckage was discovered a few hours after the crash.

Probable Cause

The investigation found that the departure from Belfast-Aldergrove was precipitated because the crew was instructed to return to Llandow as quickly as possible. As a result, the crew failed to check the en route weather conditions prior to departure and was not aware of the deterioration.