On an unknown date in 1941 this aircraft was one of a number, possibly three, being flown from Scotland to airfields in England. Details are currently vague but what is believed is that the aircraft had re-fuelled at Carlisle (Kirkbride?) and set off for the trip south, believing that they were following the Settle-Carlisle railway line they headed south. The line they had infact followed was the one running down the Lune gorge; the West Coast Mainline. The aircraft landed on a small hill known as Gibbet Hill, on the lower slopes of the Howgill Fells and about three miles south of Tebay but was un-damaged. The Czech pilot and his "navigator" made his way off this small hill northwards for assistance and arrived at a nearby farm and were taken to a local hotel, The Junction Hotel, where they stayed the night. As such the Magister did not have "navigators" but it seems likely that this aircraft was being ferried south and the second seat was effectively used by a navigator. There were reported to have been two other Czech pilots flying similar routes to this aircraft on this day, sadly both aircraft crashed with fatal results with contaminated fuel being blamed.
Pilot - Sgt Zdenek Skarvada RAF.
"Navigator" - Name unknown.
Zdenek Skarvada entered the RAF in 1940 at the age of 23. After this incident Sgt Skarvada was later posted to 310 Squadron and saw active service in the south of England. On 4th February 1942 was scrambled for a patrol off the Scilly Isles. The events are not known but he was forced to bale out of Spitfire AD412. A passing German boat picked him up and he became a PoW. The internet contains a great deal of information regarding his life and as of 2009 he was still living in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The book cover shown above details his life.