Investigation Summary
The flight was a welfare mission intended to visit RAF stations in Iceland. The planned route required the aircraft to fly parallel to the east coast of Sutherland and Caithness until reaching Duncansby Head before turning northwest toward Iceland. Instead, the aircraft turned inland prematurely while flying on instruments through persistent fog. The official Board of Inquiry determined that the crew failed to make sufficient allowance for wind drift, leading to a navigational error that placed the aircraft over rising ground at an altitude insufficient for clearance. Despite the presence of patchy cloud, investigators noted that visibility should have been adequate for the crew to identify the hazard, yet the aircraft struck the hillside while under power. The investigation placed responsibility for the 'serious mistake in airmanship' on the aircraft's captain.
Final Conclusions
The Royal Air Force Board of Inquiry concluded that the crash was a result of controlled flight into terrain caused by a navigational error. The aircraft was flown on a track other than that specified in the flight plan and at an altitude too low to clear the rising ground. The inquiry found that the engines were under power at the time of impact and that the weather conditions encountered should not have presented insurmountable difficulties to an experienced pilot.
Video Analysis
Prince George, Duke of Kent from 0 to 39 years old — A biographical overview of Prince George, Duke of Kent, who died tragically at age 39 in the Dunbeath air crash in August 1942.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
Navigation Instruments
The crew was flying on instruments due to thick fog, but failed to account for wind drift, leading to a significant deviation from the coastal flight path.
Short Sunderland Mk. III
A long-range maritime patrol flying boat used by the RAF for anti-submarine warfare and reconnaissance; W4026 was configured for VIP transport for this mission.
Interesting Facts
- 01The Duke of Kent was the youngest brother of King George VI and was serving as an Air Commodore at the time of his death.
- 02The Duke of Kent was the first member of the British Royal Family to die on active military service since King James IV of Scotland at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
- 03Flight Sergeant Andrew Jack, the tail gunner, was the only person to survive the impact and subsequent explosion.
- 04The aircraft was assigned to 228 Squadron, Coastal Command, and was based at RAF Oban.
- 05The crash site at Eagle's Rock is marked by two memorials: a Celtic cross for all victims and a stone slab where the Duke's body was found.
- 06The investigation noted that the aircraft's engines were at full power when it struck the ground.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Identity of the Pilot at Controls
Reference ↗The sole survivor's niece claimed that Jack told his brother the Duke of Kent, a licensed pilot, was actually at the controls during the crash and was dragged from the pilot's seat.
Rudolf Hess Peace Mission Theory
Reference ↗A theory proposed in the book 'Double Standards' suggests Rudolf Hess was a secret 16th passenger on a mission to negotiate peace, though this is not accepted by local historians or official records.
Location
ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the official investigation report.