1949 - Collision between a BEA Dakota and RAF Anson near Coventry?

This morning a colleague (Baron Inchcape) showed me this story in the Flightglobal archives. The reason he showed me is that Exhall, the scene of the collision, is only a few miles from where I live (But thirty years before I was born) but I can honestly say I'd never heard anything about it.

I've printed off the Flight story and will show it some of the older people in my local pub this evening in the hope of getting some information about it but if anyone out there knows more, I'd appreciate it.

 It seems the date was 19/02/1949 and the aircraft involved were BEA Dakota G-AHCW (All ten onboard were killed) flying from London to Glasgow and RAF Anson VV243 (All four onboard were killed).

There appears to be a copy of the RAF BoI in the National Archives but to my knowledge they're not exactly cheap to send off for them.

• Filed under: Coventry, Dakota, Anson, midair collision

Believe me, accelerated openings can cost a lot but they are often worth it. 

 I'll ask around for a few days before I start considering the alternatives - I'll either send away for it or perhaps head down to the National Archives for the day (I've always wanted to go there anyway).

I've found a list of names of all those killed in the accident,...

 19/02/1949 Anson VV243 2 ANS collided with a civilian Dakota, G-AHCW north of Coventry. On the Anson, pilot S/Ldr Anthony Ronald Rush, 2nd pilot K Sowala, signaller G C Tillior, navigator J S Machison were all killed. Ten people died on the Dakota: S McDermott, pilot, G D Kershaw ,  G W Stamper, J A T Smith, E M Cairns,  F Hauersley, P Coia, Mr & Mrs J E Michaels and H C Aitken.

I always find this website very good - www.planecrashinfo.com This site has a great data base. John.

That's a really good site.

Somewhat scarily, some can even get carried away with their lookout.

• Filed under: glass cockpits

I remember the above accident occuring when I was aged 13.

My friend and myself were travelling on a Midland Red bus along the London Road near Whitley Common when I looked out of the window towards the north and saw what appeared to be two streaks of fire fulling from the sky in the direction of Foleshill/Exhall.

It was around ten o'clock in the morning as I  reacll.

Jim Brown

Thanks for that Jim. I spoke to a few of the older people I know in the area and they were familiar with it but it all seems to be second hand knowledge. Apparently one of them 'knows somebody who knows somebody' who claims to have some small pieces of the debris stashed away in his garage.