5 fatalities

Night Cross-Country Flight Crash in Exmoor National Park (N5084)

Simonsbath, United KingdomFlight

On November 28, 1939, an Avro 652 Anson (registration N5084) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Simonsbath, United Kingdom in flight. 5 people were killed. 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 aircraft crashed into hilly terrain during a night cross-country flight from RAF Harwell. All five crew members were killed, and the wreckage was located forty hours later.

What happened

The incident occurred during a night cross-country flight originating from RAF Harwell. While en route, the twin-engine aircraft lost control and impacted hilly terrain in Simonsbath. The crash site was situated within Exmoor National Park. Due to the remote location and conditions, the wreckage was not discovered until forty hours after the accident. All five members of the crew were killed in the event.

Findings

The source material does not provide specific technical findings or a formal investigation report regarding the mechanical or environmental causes of the crash. The available records confirm the flight phase as en route and note the difficult terrain where the aircraft came to rest.