5 fatalities

Twin-engine aircraft crashes into Ben Macdui during navigation exercise (DJ106)

Mt Ben Macdui, United KingdomFlight

On August 21, 1942, an Avro 652 Anson (registration DJ106) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Ben Macdui, United Kingdom in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The official investigation determined that the accident was caused by controlled flight into terrain. 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 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine military aircraft crashed into the slope of Ben Macdui while conducting a cross-country navigation exercise, resulting in the deaths of all five crew members.

What happened

The flight originated from RAF Kinloss as part of a standard cross-country navigation training mission. During the cruise phase, the aircraft encountered limited visibility conditions. The twin-engine airplane subsequently impacted the slope of Mt Ben Macdui, which stands at an elevation of 1,309 metres. The crash site was located approximately 17 kilometres northwest of Braemar.

Upon impact with the terrain, the airframe disintegrated completely. There were no survivors among the five occupants on board. The crew consisted of a pilot, an observer, a navigator, a wireless operator, and an air gunner, all of whom were killed in the accident.

Probable cause

The official investigation determined that the accident was caused by controlled flight into terrain.