2 fatalities

Cargo aircraft crash near Saint Boniface Down due to navigational error (G-AIWW)

Saint Boniface Down, United KingdomFlight

On November 20, 1947, an Avro 652 Anson (registration G-AIWW) operated by British Air Transport - BAT was involved in an aviation accident near Saint Boniface Down, United Kingdom in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident resulted from a navigational error committed by the flight crew. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 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 cargo plane crashed into a radar pylon and nearby field near Saint Boniface Down while flying over the Isle of Wight, killing both crew members.

What happened

The twin engine aircraft departed Croydon on a scheduled cargo mission bound for Jersey. The flight was transporting a load of newspapers when it encountered deteriorating weather conditions over the Isle of Wight. Visibility dropped significantly as cloud bases lowered to approximately 700 feet.

During this low-visibility segment, the pilot lost situational awareness regarding the aircraft's position and altitude. The crew failed to detect that they had strayed from the intended flight path and were flying at an unsafe height. Consequently, the airframe collided with a radar pylon before impacting the ground in a prairie area near Saint Boniface Down.

Both individuals on board, consisting of the pilot and a radio operator, were killed in the accident.

Probable cause

The accident resulted from a navigational error committed by the flight crew.