5 fatalities

Night Training Flight Crash into Scafell Pike (DJ275)

Mt Scafell Pike, United KingdomFlight

On August 9, 1943, an Avro 652 Anson (registration DJ275) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Scafell Pike, United Kingdom in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Strong winds and low visibility caused the aircraft to drift off course into the mountain summit. 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 military aircraft crashed into the summit of Scafell Pike during a night training exercise in poor weather, resulting in the deaths of all five crew members on board.

What happened

The incident occurred during a night training flight that departed from RAF Brampton in the early evening. The aircraft was participating in a combined exercise alongside three other similar machines. While en route, the crew faced challenging environmental factors, including low visibility, marginal weather conditions, and strong winds. These conditions caused the aircraft to drift off its intended course. Consequently, the plane struck the summit of Mt Scafell Pike. Search efforts located the wreckage two days after the accident. All five individuals on board were killed in the crash.

Findings

The primary contributing factor identified was the combination of adverse weather elements, specifically low visibility and strong winds, which led to a loss of course accuracy during the night operation.

Probable cause

Strong winds and low visibility caused the aircraft to drift off course into the mountain summit.