Pratt, John David (Flt Sergeant)

St. Patrick Churchyard, Jurby, IoM. Anson Mk I AX177 Aircraft was returning from a flight over the sea when the aircraft struck high ground, at 1,000 feet, near Jurby Head, Isle of Man. A Court of Inquiry found that an error in judgement by the pilot, in climbing into cloud, and increasing height to 3,000 feet when approaching land was the cause of the crash. The briefing had indicated that the icing index was high at 2,000 feet. The pilot most likely lost control of the aircraft while in cloud, when it iced up. and failed to regain complete control before the aircraft struck the hillside.