What happened
The incident occurred while the crew was conducting a local training exercise at RAF Usworth. During the operation, one twin-engine airplane was cruising at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet in the vicinity of the airbase. At this time, it collided with a second aircraft, identified as an Avro 652 Anson I with registration DJ686, which was also operating in the area and carrying a crew of four.
Following the mid-air collision, both airplanes lost control and dove into the ground. The wreckage came to rest in a field located approximately 5 kilometers northeast of the airfield. Both aircraft were destroyed upon impact with the terrain. All eight individuals on board the two planes perished in the accident.