Andy Carswell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 May 1923 California, US |
| Died | 25 July 2021 (aged 98) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Allegiance | Canada |
| Service | Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1940–1950s |
| Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
| Unit | No. 9 Squadron RAF, No. 123 Search and Rescue Unit |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Air Force Cross |
| Other work | aviation safety |
Andrew Gordon Carswell AFC (29 May 1923 – 25 July 2021) was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Avro Lancaster pilot who was shot down near Berlin on his fourth mission in 1943. After returning to Canada after the war, he rejoined the RCAF in 1948 as a search and rescue pilot flying Consolidated Canso flying boats off the coast of British Columbia. During this time he was involved in two famous rescues, including one in 1956 that won him the Air Force Cross which was presented personally by Elizabeth II. He later joined the Ministry of Transport and prepared a 1977 report on the shockingly poor quality of service and training of bush plane pilots operating in northern Ontario. The report led to the reformation of the Ministry's inspection bureaus and, ultimately, the formation of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.