The name of the pilot in question was Harold A.Raasch. He told me that he was Canadian but the landlady at the B+B thought he might be American, only because he gave an address in Sunnydale, California when he first visted the Borders in 1984.
I say "first" because it now transpires that he made annual visits, staying at the same B+B whist enagaged in the search for the crash site.
Regarding the site, we are now awaiting cofirmation that it was at Headshaw farm Ashkirk, a very short distance from Dryden.
A few of you have got it pretty well right regarding the circumstances.
He was supposed to land at Biggin Hill as previously discussed, but overshot due to cloud cover.
He flew towards the East Coast and followed the coastline north.
As visibility improved he spotted a prominent borders landmark off his left side.
This landmark was The Eildon Hills !
He explained to the landlady the he turned towards this landmark in order to get his bearings (her words, not mine)
Pretty soon he ran out of fuel and made a forced landing at what we now presume was Headshaw.
The rest of the tale was explained to the landlady exactly the way I laid it out earlier.
A letter was received by the selfsame landlady in 1990, advising that Harold had died of cancer. Although she no longer has the letter, she supplied us with the original address from 1984. We have written to that address now.
The newspaper has already received a couple of calls and I have been give the phone number of someone in Selkirk who recalls something of the event and wishes to talk to me.
All I can say is try doing a bit of digging in whatever resources are available and watch this space.
Thanks for all of your help !
Cheers
El G.