Date:	Thursday 19 April 1956
Time:	c. 12:35 LT
Type:	de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB Mk 5
Owner/operator:	7 FTS RAF
Registration:	VV601
MSN:	EEP/424..
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	east of Llyn Eigiau, 7 miles SSW of Conway, Caenarvon -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales (VLY/EGOV)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
De Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB.Mk.5 VV601, 7 FTS, RAF - Written off 19/4/1956: Crashed into an un-named ridge to the east of Llyn Eigiau on the eastern edge of the Carneddau, seven miles South South West of Conway, Caenarvon (approximate co-ordinates 53°09.874′N, 3°54.129′W).

The aircraft had taken off from RAF Valley in Anglesey, the pilot having been briefed to carry out medium altitude aerobatics. However, after 15 minutes it was seen to hit the hillside in a high speed at a shallow angle, wings level, dive. Amongst the shattered wreckage of the cockpit, the investigation team found a 13-inch-long steel bar, which may have jammed the elevator controls. However, it was not conclusively proved as to what exactly the cause of the crash was.

The pilot, 19 year old Fleet Air Arm trainee Robert Armitage, was killed: he had been undergoing advanced flying training at No.7 FTS at RAF Valley, having previously trained on Provosts at No.1 FTS at Syerston. He had joined the Navy in the summer of 1955 and had joined No.7 FTS on the 12th February 1956. His total flying experience was 147 hours 15 minutes.

Note that the official Air Ministry file into the accident (File AVIA 5/34/S2818 - see link #4) refers to Llyn Eigiau by its Anglicised name of "Lake Elliot". Also the other Air Ministry file into the accident (File BT233/337) gives the crash location as "near Blaenau Ffestiniog".

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.179 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 91)
3. Category Five; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1954 to 2009 by Colin Cummings p.191
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/337: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424458
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/34/S2818: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578598
6. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1956.htm
7. http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/wales/de-havilland-vampire-vv601-llyn-eigiau/
8. http://simviation.com//lair/casualty1956.htm
9. https://geotopoi.wordpress.com/2009/10/17/llyn-eigiau-vampire-fb-mk-5-vv601-b-flight-no-1-squadron-no-7-flying-training-school-19-apr-1956/
10. http://peakwreckhunters.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/dehavilland-vampire-f-b-mk5-vv601_06.html
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llyn_Eigiau
12. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1950-1959_26.html
13. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH100%20prodn%20list.txt
14. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1956-59.htm
15. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VV

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
16-Mar-2013 16:59	Dr. John Smith	Added
25-Dec-2018 21:04	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Nature, Operator]
10-Jan-2020 20:46	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Operator]
20-Jan-2020 18:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative]
20-Jan-2020 22:02	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, Operator]
15-Jun-2020 00:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source]
15-Jun-2020 01:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
15-Jun-2020 07:46	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]