4 fatalities

Night training accident involving a twin-engine aircraft near Dalry (L9153)

Dalry, United KingdomFlight

On January 9, 1939, an Avro 652 Anson (registration L9153) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Dalry, United Kingdom in flight. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: 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 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine military aircraft crashed into a hillside during a night training exercise, resulting in the deaths of all four crew members.

What happened

The incident occurred during a night training exercise originating from RAF Heathfield (Prestwick). While flying over Kirkcudbrightshire, the twin-engine aircraft struck the slope of a hill situated approximately nine miles west of Dalry. The terrain feature had an elevation of 2,448 feet. Upon impact, the airframe was destroyed by collision forces and a subsequent post-crash fire. All four occupants on board were killed in the accident. The wreckage remained undetected until it was spotted on the mountainside the following day.

Findings

The official investigation determined that the accident resulted from controlled flight into terrain. No specific mechanical failures or external factors were cited as contributing causes in the available records.

Probable cause

Controlled flight into terrain