Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII accident at Bolventor, United Kingdom, 14 Sept 1945 (PN305)
On September 14, 1945, a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII (registration PN305) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Bolventor, United Kingdom in flight. 21 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Due to an electrical failure, the dingy inflation valve was activated and the dingy blew up, came out of its wing stowage and fouled the tailplane assembly, restricting the elevators. The pilot lost control and the aircraft dove into the ground. 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.
Probable cause
Due to an electrical failure, the dingy inflation valve was activated and the dingy blew up, came out of its wing stowage and fouled the tailplane assembly, restricting the elevators. The pilot lost control and the aircraft dove into the ground. This was almost a repeat of an accident reported earlier.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
The aircraft was on its way from RAF Tarrant Rushton to the Azores Islands with a crew of 7 and 14 passengers on board. While overflying Cornwall, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a prairie. All 21 occupants were killed. Crew (644th Squadron): F/Sgt Clifford William Akers, F/O Peter Stafford Briggs, F/Lt Jeremiah Charles Garnett, F/Sgt William Mathias, F/Lt Geoffrey Percival Ormesher, AC2 Alan Ralph Titford, F/Lt Gerald Theodore Bailey. Passengers: F/O Alan John Reardon, LAC Leonard Roy Victor Cox, AC1 Patrick Fitzgibbon, LAC Cecil Everard Charles Hoborough, LAC Roy William Nicholls, Cpl Henry Phillip Mills, LAC Selwyn Thomas, LAC Thomas Smith Wallace, LAC Ernest Raymond Richings, LAC Stanley Price, AC2 Dennis Martin, LAC Edward Joseph Lynott, LAC Edwin Arthur George Pettifer, AC2 Robert Owen. Source: http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?4604-F-S-William-Henry-Mathias-1836211-Died-14-9-45-644-Sqd
Probable cause (official findings): Due to an electrical failure, the dingy inflation valve was activated and the dingy blew up, came out of its wing stowage and fouled the tailplane assembly, restricting the elevators. The pilot lost control and the aircraft dove into the ground. This was almost a repeat of an accident reported earlier.