Short S.25 Sunderland accident at Braemore, United Kingdom, 25 Aug 1942 (W4026)
On August 25, 1942, a Short S.25 Sunderland (registration W4026) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Braemore, United Kingdom in flight. 14 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was equipped with a new gyro-compass few days prior to the accident and the crew was not familiar with it. According to the Board of investigations, it appears that the accident occurred as a result of navigational error. 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
The aircraft was equipped with a new gyro-compass few days prior to the accident and the crew was not familiar with it. According to the Board of investigations, it appears that the accident occurred as a result of navigational error. The crew failed to make sufficient allowance for a strong on-shore wind and allowed the aircraft to drift over high ground before it gained sufficient altitude to clear the hilly terrain. According to the Hansard Report of October 7th 1942, blame was apportioned to the captain of the aircraft, "Who changed flight plan for reasons unknown and descended through cloud without making sure he was over water, and crashed." Poor visibility due to bad weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
The seaplane departed Oban to Keflavik with an intermediate stop at RAF Invergordon, carrying 11 crew members and three passengers, among them Prince George, Duke of Kent, who was flying to Iceland on an official visit. Few minutes after takeoff from RAF Invergordon, while cruising in poor visibility due to bad weather conditions, the seaplane hit the Eagle's Rock hill located near Breamore, about 55 km northwest of Inverness. The air gunner was seriously injured while all 14 other occupants were killed. Crew (228th Squadron): F/Lt Frank McKenzie Goyen, pilot, † W/Cdr Thomas Lawton Moseley, copilot, † F/O Sydney Wood Smith, copilot, † P/O George Richard Saunders, navigator, † F/Sgt William Royston Jones, flight engineer, † Sgt Leonard Sweett, flight engineer and fitter, † F/Sgt Charles Norman Lewis, airframe fitter, † F/Sgt Edward James Hewerdine, wireless operator, † Sgt Edward Francis Blacklock, wireless operator, † Sgt Arthur Rowland Catt, wireless operator, † Sgt Andrew Simpson William Jack, air gunner. Passengers: Air Commodore George Edward Alexander Windsor, HRH Prince George, The Duke of Kent, † Lt John Crowther, private secretary, † P/O C. V. Michael Strutt, † Lac John Walter Hales. †
Probable cause (official findings): The aircraft was equipped with a new gyro-compass few days prior to the accident and the crew was not familiar with it. According to the Board of investigations, it appears that the accident occurred as a result of navigational error. The crew failed to make sufficient allowance for a strong on-shore wind and allowed the aircraft to drift over high ground before it gained sufficient altitude to clear the hilly terrain. According to the Hansard Report of October 7th 1942, blame was apportioned to the captain of the aircraft, "Who changed flight plan for reasons unknown and descended through cloud without making sure he was over water, and crashed." Poor visibility due to bad weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.