REPORT A.

KINLOSS MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAM INCIDENT REPORT

1. NATURE OF INCIDENT. Canberra PR7 crashed on Sron Gharbh, Caithness. Aircraft No WT 531 ( No 80 Squadron Bruggen) 2. Duration of Incident: Team called out 1215hrs on 2 Feb 66 Team returned to Station 2300 hrs on 06 Feb 66

3. AUTHORITY ALERTING. E(N)RCC via Inverness Police 4. TIME AND DATE TEAM Exercise Area 1215 hrs on 02 Feb 66. 5. TEAM ARRIVED IN SEARCH AREA AT. 1615 hrs on 02 Feb 66. 6. AREA SEARCHED Area bounded by following five map references 16/ND/000500 16/ND/200500 16/ND/200330 16/ND/110220 16/ND/000220 Wreckage and Casualties at 16/ND/058261 (1,050 ft). 7. a. Duration of Search and Time Casualties Found 20 hours (including initial police and civilian search) Wreckage found by Leuchars helicopter at 0856 on 03 Feb 66.

8. Type of Search Party search, Helicopter and Fixed Wing aircraft searches.

9. Weather Conditions At time of crash (approx. 1030 hrs on 02 Feb 66) -Thick mist

10. Composition of Rescue Party (Nos of MR/Civilians etc)

20 MRT 14 Leuchars MRT 6 HMS Condor (RNAS Arbroath) Approx 20 police (Caithness) Approx 20 civilians 6 Dingwall TA (Seaforths)

11. Equipment used.

a. MT 2 x 3T trucks, 2 x Landrovers 1 Landrover RVT

b. Radio. -GR 410 HF, UHF on 282.8 mc/s, Army VHF Transceivers

c. Stretchers/Medical. Naval helicopter Stretcher

d. Other Special Equipment. Navigation equipment. Extensive use of Pyrotechnics. Demolition explosives. Civilian owned Snow-Trac Vehicles.

12. Sub-Units Co-operating Leuchars MRT (and Leuchars Sub-unit RNAS Abroath) 13. No of Casualties Involved Stretcher Cases – Nil

Walking – Nil

Dead - Two

14. Casualties all evacuated by 1030 hours on 03 Feb 66.

15. Brief Narrative. MR Party engaged on rock-climbing exercise at Loch Duntelchaig was called out by Inverness Police, and went to Backlass (16/ND/081424( to investigate reports of flashes seen at mid-day on 02 Feb 66. Civilian and police parties had searched hills to four miles south from Backlass, in thick mist, and civilian party in mist had searched Scaraben range (Sron Garbh to East Scaraben) from valley of Lanfwell water. KMRT party went from Backlass to Dalnawillian Lodge (16/ND/030407) and carried out a night search (in clear moonlight) of Ben Alisky and Beinn Glas-choire from 1930 to 2200 hours on 02 Feb 66.

At first light on 03 Feb 66 the following parties were detailed to search areas shown below:

RAF Leuchars and HMS Condor: 000460, 150460, 150300, 000300

RAF Kinloss: 000300, 130300, 130240, 000240

Civilian parties: Tracks and moorlands accessible to Snow-Trac vehicles including the valleys of Langwell water and Barriedale Waters and passes between.

Wreckage was located by Leuchars Helicopter Playmate 28. Kinloss MRT was informed of location on UHF by SAR Shackleton. All MRT parties were informed of location on VHF 31 sets and were diverted to crash scene.

MRTs, together with MO from HMS Fulmar1, helicopter crew and civilians, who reached scene by Snow-Trac, carried the casualties to a level patch of moorland from which they were evacuated by RN helicopter to RAF Kinloss.

RAF Kinloss MRT established a day and night crash guard in a tent at the crash site.

The Canberra had been flying on a track of 352 degrees Grid and impacted at Map Ref 058261 at 1,050 feet. There was a steep rise in the hillside 150 yards north of the point of impact and most of the wreckage was strewn up the hillside to a height of approx 1,350 feet.

On 04 Feb 66 Leuchars and Condor MRTs left. Kinloss MRT maintained liaison with helicopters and snow-tracs and escorted Crash Investigation parties to the scene as required.

On 05 Feb 66, WO Walker of AIB HQ Germany, assisted by two armament tradesmen of RAF Kinloss, used Cordex and CETNT to demolish Explosive canopy Bolts. Engine Starter Cartridges, Ejection Seat Primary Firing Units and Secondary cartridges.

On 06 Feb 66, Kinloss MRT assisted mapping of crash site by PR7 Canberra, firing smoke generators and ground illuminating flares downwind of the wreckage. KMRT stood down crash guard and handed over to 60 MU at 1600 hours on 06 Feb 66.

1 RNAS . BJC Throughout the operation extremely valuable assistance was provided by Mr Martin Leslie, factor of the Duke of Portlands estate, and his staff. Apart from help in the search and subsequent operations, the teams were provided with accommodation, baths, telephone facilities and the extensive use of Snow-Tracs.

Signed J HINDE Chief Technician

RCC Informed Throughout search, recovery and investigation

Distribution

Ministry of Defence Ops (ESR)b (RAF), MOD

Rescue Officer HQ CC

E(N) RCC HQ 18 Gp

Royal Air Force Kinloss (KIN/40/2/Air)

Intelligence Officer RAF Kinloss (2 copies)

RAF Leuchars MRT

______Extract from Wg Cdr Colin Cumming’s book “Cat 5” records the accident as

The aircraft was on a hi-lo-hi sortie from RAF Bruggen and had passed Lossiemouth at 1025 and was due to return for refuelling about 2 hours later before returning to base. Having been overhead Lossiemouth at 10,000 feet, the pilot was cleared to descend to 2,000 feet where the reported he was IMC2. A further clearance to descend to 1,000 was given and shortly afterwards, the pilot was given a position. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft but its wreckage was found the following day on high ground 5 miles north of Berriedale on the slopes of Scarben…..The Approach Controller at Lossiemouth had misunderstood the let down and approach request from the aircraft’s captain and then failed to safely control the aircraft, which he knew to be IMC and approaching the coastal hills.

Flying Officer David Girling, 22, Pilot

Flying Officer Rowland Smith, 22, Navigator

BJC 25th May 2018

2 Instrument Meteorological Conditions, which means he was still flying on instruments and could not see the land or sea. BJC.