Avro Anson Mk.I N5094, 49 Squadron, RAF Scampton
crashed Upper Coquetdale on 5th March 1940
Crew
| Position | Rank/Title | Full Name | Age | Service Number | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot 1 | F/O | Peter Ward-Hunt | 39916 | Uninjured | |
| Pilot 2 | P/O | Deryck Edgar Pinchbeck | 70902 | Uninjured | |
| Passengers | Unidentified | Uninjured |
Accident Details
Anson N5094 took for a delivery flight from Scampton in Lincolnshire to Kinloss in Scotland. The purpose of the flight was the ferrying of personnel and equipment, as 49sqn had detachments at both bases during this period of the war.
As the aircraft began its climb over the Cheviot Hills one of the engines lost power and eventually cut out completely, F/O Ward-Hunt was unable to maintain height on one engine due to the heavy load the aircraft was carrying, so the decision was made to make an emergency landing. The weather was fine and a successful wheels up landing was made on the side of a hill in Upper Coquetdale, in the heart of the Cheviot Hills.
The occupants quickly exited the aircraft in case of fire. This did not occur and the aircraft remained almost intact on the hillside. The crew walked off the fell to Trows Farm, where the alarm was raised and the RAF informed of the accident. Some days later, members of 83 Maintenance Unit came to remove the aircraft from the hill. This was accomplished without trouble and the aircraft was eventually repaired and put back into service. N5094 was to end its career as 6169 of the Royal Canadian Air Force as a trainer in Ontario.
The Crash Site
Enquiries in the vicinity have identified two possible locations for the crash. The first on the side of Loft Hill immediately above Trows Farm and the second, and most likely location, on the side of Ward Law, a little further to the east. Here, in the 1970’s, there were reports that small pieces of aircraft wreckage remained, although our searches of the area in the late 1980’s failed to locate any sign of the aircraft.
Some publications state that this aircraft crashed on The Cheviot and that some remains are still present, this is incorrect. The remains which were thought to be from this aircraft were in fact pieces of Stirling EE972.
