At 13.06hrs on 29th September 1959 this 228 Operational Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Leeming airfield to be flown on a training flight with a pupil pilot and a staff navigator. The aircraft climbed normally to 32,000 feet but once at this height the pilot noticed that the starboard engine speed was dropping and then the engine fire warning light came on in the cockpit. A short time later the second engine fire warning light came on so the crew made a Mayday radio signal and then ejected over the Row Low area of Swaledale. They drifted off to the north west of the hamlet sustaining minor injuries on landing. The aircraft continued for several miles with the engine burning in the air and small parts falling away over a five mile track before it eventually crashed onto moorland into Apedale, north of Castle Bolton, where much of the wreckage still remains. The crash occurred at 13.20hrs. A large moorland fire broke out which took a combined effort from various civilian and military organisations, the stream in Apedale had to be dammed to allow more water to be pumped to the fire.
Pilot - F/O Christopher Pennington Cowper RAF (4159107). Back injuries.
Navigator - Capt Robert E Neitz USAF. Uninjured.
Chris Pennington Cowper was born on 19th June 1936 and attended school in Canterbury. The internet yields further information about his flying career; he applied to join the RAF in 1954 and after completing his training he flew Hunters with 26 Squadron and later 14 Squadron both for 2TAF in Germany. He was appointed to a direct commission in the RAF on 9th February 1955 back dating his twelve years service begining on 17th October 1954 taking the rank of Acting P/O from Cadet Pilot. He was then graded as P/O on 9th February 1955, and rose to F/O on 9th February 1957 and then F/Lt on 9th August 1960. It was after this time in Germany he was posted to Leeming to train on the Javelin and during which his ejection took place. Through an internet search for him, he later recounted that he had "set Lord Bolton’s grouse moor on fire and it would burn till Christmas"! Following the ejection he injured his back and spent some time at Headley Court rehabilitation centre. He returned to flying and continued to fly with 25 Squadron. He would later leave the RAF and join the British European Airways flying the Viscount and later with British Airways for 27 years. He retired from BA in January 1997 aged 61. He sadly died of cancer on 15th September 2005 at Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire. By all accounts he was a brilliant pilot and a true gentleman.
A US airman with the same name flew in WW2 with 418th Bomber Squadron, USAAF and there was also a Robert Henry Neitz USAF - later Brigadier General Neitz USAF (ret) Either men could be the true identity of the navigator.
My wife and I visited the site in March 2005. I revisited the site in September 2006 and then again in April 2007 with members of the ACIA research group.