1949 Exhall mid-air collision

Exhall Mid-Air Collision

On Saturday, 19 February 1949, a mid-air collision occurred above the village of Exhall involving a British European Airways Douglas Dakota and a Royal Air Force Avro Anson T21, both operating in clear weather conditions.

The Douglas Dakota was conducting a flight from Northolt Airport, located near London, to Glasgow-Renfrew Airport in Scotland. The aircraft had a crew of four and was transporting six passengers. It departed Northolt at 09:13. Meanwhile, the RAF Avro Anson T21 was engaged in a cross-country training mission for the No. 2 Air Navigation School, flying from RAF Middleton St. George to Chatteris in the Fenland area of Cambridgeshire, England. This plane took off at 08:09 with a crew consisting of a captain, wireless operator, instructor, and flight student.

At approximately 10:00, the two aircraft collided at an altitude of around 4,500 feet (1,400 m) near Exhall, close to Coventry in Warwickshire. Eyewitnesses observed that the Avro Anson struck the Dakota at the root of its right wing, resulting in the wing being severed.

The collision caused an explosion that destroyed both airplanes, scattering burning debris over the area. The wreckage fell close to Exhall Lodge Hospital, an elderly care facility, but did not cause damage to the building itself. Debris also landed on nearby rooftops, farms, and roads; however, no injuries were reported on the ground. Tragically, there were no survivors among those aboard either aircraft.

Despite clear weather conditions at the time of impact, the official investigation determined that neither flight crew had visual contact with the other plane before the collision. It was suggested that sun glare may have contributed to this lack of visibility. The inquiry attributed the accident to both captains’ failure to maintain adequate vigilance for other aircraft while in flight.