Squadron: Ferry Command (RAF)

Start Date: 1941-08-31

Completion Date: 1941-09-01

Mission: Ferry Flight

Operation: unspecified

Target City:

Target Specific:

Base: Dorval, Quebec

Take Off Time: 17:26

Squadron Code:

Radio Code:

Return Base:

Return Time:

Crash City: Scotland

Crash Specifics: Arinarach Hill 3 miles South-East of Campbeltown

Crash Latitude: 0.00000000

Crash Longitude: 0.00000000

Crash Reason: piloterror

Flak Battery:

Enemy Claim:

War Diary Unavailable

6 Group Unavailable

RAF Ferry Command, Dorval, Quebec. Liberator aircraft AM915, on the final leg of a trans-Atlantic flight from Canada with a mix of civilian and military crew and passengers encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility on approach to Prestwick, Scotland. Re-directed to nearby RAF Heathfield at Ayr but the pilot instead asked for weather conditions at Squires Gate, near Blackpool, England and proceeded towards his preferred landing area despite direction from Prestwick. Sometime later weather conditions at Squires Gate were deemed unsuitable and Prestwick contacted the pilot, Captain Garden to ask his intentions, who responded that he would make for Ayr. No further communication was received as the aircraft struck the top of Arinarach Hill 3 miles South-East of Campbeltown, Scotland, breaking up over a wide area with the loss of all aboard. The wreckage was not located until the following day due to the weather conditions

Crew:

Canadian civilian Radio Officer SW Sydenham

British civilian Pilot/1st Officer GL Panes (BOAC)

American civilian Flight Engineer CA Spence

Australian civilian Pilot Captain K Garden (BOAC)

Passengers:

British Lieutenant-Colonel LH Wrangham (Royal Marines)

American Captain S Picking (US Navy)

Belgian civilian Count Guy de Baillet-Latour

British civilian Professor Robert Balmain Mowat

British civilian Doctor Mark Benjamin

British civilian Eric Taylor