Date:	Friday 16 February 1951
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk 8
Owner/operator:	245 (Northern Rhodesia) Sqn RAF
Registration:	VZ498
MSN:	G5/361672
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Wittingham, Northumberland, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Nordolk
Destination airport:	RAF Acklington, Northumberland

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor VZ498: Written off (destroyed) 16 February 1951. The aircraft's compass failed in flight, and, despite being given homing bearings by ATC (Air Traffic Control) the aircraft ran out of fuel before it could reach base (presumed to be RAF Acklington, Northumberland). The pilot attempted a forced landing but the aircraft crashed at Thropton Farm near Whittingham, Northumberland, after hitting a tree and somersaulting 400-yards. The pilot was killed.

Crew of Meteor VZ498:
Pilot-Officer Geoffrey John ADAMS, RAF (pilot) - killed on active service 16/2/1951

The reported crash site of Whittingham is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is situated on the banks of the River Aln, roughly 4.5 miles (7 km) east of its source at Alnham and 7.3 miles (12 km) west of Alnwick. RAF Acklington, which is the presumed destination of Meteor VZ498, is approximately 16 miles to the south east

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. Broken Wings - Post War RAF Accidents (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1999 p 111)
3. El Litoral 16 February 1951, p 2
4. 245 Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/1/1951 to 31/3/1952: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2670/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8426882
5. https://www.nelsam.org.uk/NEAR/Losses/Losses-PostWWII.htm
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VZ
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._245_Squadron_RAF#Postwar
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whittingham,_Northumberland

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-Feb-2015 19:16	TB	Added
19-Oct-2019 22:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
20-Oct-2019 20:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
27-Oct-2019 21:55	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Operator]
27-Nov-2019 10:47	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
12-Jan-2021 16:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
12-Jan-2021 16:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
05-Nov-2023 15:16	Paul Allonby	Updated [Narrative]