Can you still see wreckage from the B-17 crash on Skiddaw?

Yes, but not much. You'll find small fragments like bits of aluminium, Perspex, and occasional machinery pieces scattered in the scree near Randel Crag, but nothing that looks obviously like a plane. Over 80 years of weather and the initial fire destroyed most of it.

How do I get to the Flaming Mayme crash site on Skiddaw?

It's on the western slopes near Randel Crag, away from the main tourist route which approaches from the east. The terrain is steep, loose, and pathless in places, so you'll need proper navigation skills and hill-walking experience to find it safely.

Why did the B-17 crash into Skiddaw if it was just a training flight?

The crew was flying through thick cloud and drifted west of their planned route, likely due to navigational error or wind drift. Without GPS, they relied on dead reckoning and visual landmarks—useless in cloud—and when they descended to try to see where they were, they hit the mountain.

Aircraft Lost on the Hills

The Flying Fortress on Skiddaw

Ten American airmen were aboard *Flaming Mayme* when the B-17 struck the screes just below Skiddaw’s summit. Discover what brought the Flying Fortress over the Lake District and why only scattered fragments now remain on the mountainside.

10 October 20267 min read