De Havilland DH60G Moth G-AARE
crashed Cross Fell, Pennines on 21st April 1936
Crew
| Position | Rank/Title | Full Name | Age | Service Number | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Mr | Archibald James Moffat | 20 | Fatal |
Accident Details
At 17:00 hrs on Tuesday, 21st April 1936 DH60G Moth G-AARE took off from Doncaster and headed in a north-westerly direction with the intention of flying to Kingstown near Carlisle, probably via the western side of the Pennine Hills. The aircraft had started its journey at West Malling and had probably landed at Doncaster to re-fuel en-route.
Heading north, and almost clear of the hills, it crashed into the side of Cross Fell about sixty feet below the summit and overturned.
The aircraft had struck the rocky screes of Cross Fell and it was a few days before the wreckage was discovered and the body of the pilot removed from the scene. A post crash investigation later found that the altimeter had been set incorrectly, although it is unsure if this had any bearing on the crash.
The Crash Site
There have been several attempts to locate this crash site over the years but so far all have drawn a blank. There are rumours that the engine remains on the mountain and that the wreckage was buried under rocks by the salvage crew.
One search in the late 1980’s turned up pieces of a wartime Avro Anson to the west of the summit cairn. It is not sure if this came from the RAF Anson on the south eastern side of the hill or the yet to be discovered Anson flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot which also crashed in the area.
