Date:	Thursday 22 November 1945
Time:	morning
Type:	Consolidated Liberator C.VIII
Owner/operator:	53 Sqn RAF
Registration:	KH126
MSN:	1282
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 27 / Occupants: 27
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Whites Farm, Broadway Pound, near RAF Merryfield, Somerset -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Merryfield, Somerset
Destination airport:	RAF Castel Benito, Libya

Narrative:
The 1945 Broadway Consolidated Liberator crash occurred on 22 November 1945 when a Royal Air Force Consolidated Liberator C Mk VIII transport crashed shortly after take-off from RAF Merryfield with the loss of all 27 on board.

The Liberator (serial number KH126) was being operated by 53 Squadron on a trooping flight from RAF Merryfield to India. It failed to gain enough height to clear a hill. It struck a tree and crashed at White's Farm near Broadway Pound, six miles from the airfield. It burst into flames with the loss of the five-man crew (all but one Polish) and 22 Army passengers.

Crew of Liberator KH126:
F/Lt L. Mielecki, pilot,
F/O G. T. Miers, copilot,
F/O S. Kleybor, navigator,
F/Sgt Jan Brzezinski, flight engineer,
F/O A. Wize, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Sig R. O. Anderson,
Sig R. C. Anderson,
Sig J. H. Attwood,
Sig D. B. Benjamin,
Lt P. T. Biles,
Sig A. T. Birch,
Sig J. W. A. Brewis,
Cpt H. C. Buck,
Sig W. A. Charlton,
Sig A. E. Clark,
Sig L. J. Curry,
Sig H. Donovan,
Sig L. H. Downes,
Sig L. R. Dyer,
Sig P. B. Fairbairn,
Sig R. D. Farrance,
Dri B. W. Fox,
Sig F. W. Gent,
Lt A. G. Quick,
Maj H. W. G. Staunton,
Sig R. Williams,
Sig C. Williams.

Probable cause: The captain completed the first turn to the left after takeoff at a too low altitude, about 800 feet instead of the minimum 1,500 feet as mentioned in the departure procedures. Low visibility due to poor weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.

Liberator KH126 was ex-USAAF 44-10691 (MSN 1282)

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945_Broadway_Consolidated_Liberator_crash
2. 27 Killed In Air Accident." Times [London, England] 23 Nov. 1945: 4. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 6 July 2015.
3. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings - Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom: Air-Britain (Historians) Litd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4. (page 19)
4. Folha da Noite 23 November 1945
5. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-consolidated-lb-30a-liberator-raf-merryfield-27-killed
6. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/65778
7. https://www.southwestairfields.co.uk/page20.html
8. http://viewfromsomerset.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-crash-of-raf-liberator-kh126-on.html
9. http://aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=KH126
10. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_1.html
11. Accident Branch Investigator's Report ref W2296

Liberator KH126 © Stephen Wright (WMR-65778)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Sep-2008 01:00	ASN archive	Added
16-May-2012 00:00	ryan	Updated [Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
07-Jan-2015 17:04	Diana Hughes	Updated [Destination airport]
24-Jun-2015 10:45	TB	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
18-Oct-2019 23:45	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
18-Oct-2019 23:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
18-Oct-2019 23:48	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
27-Oct-2019 22:19	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Operator]
17-May-2021 19:18	TigerTimon	Updated [Other fatalities, Destination airport, Source]
28-May-2021 18:12	Temujin	Updated [Narrative]