Date:	Monday 18 June 1951
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk 8
Owner/operator:	41 Sqn RAF
Registration:	WB110
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Westerham Road, Biggin Hill, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8 WB110, 41 Squadron, RAF: delivered 10/5/1951. Written off 18/06/1951. The Meteor F.Mk.8 was one of a number of aircraft in a streamed formation take off from RAF Biggin Hill. Although the Meteor became airborme during the take off run, it then sank back onto the runway, ran off the end of the runway, across a road (Westerham Road) and crashed into a bungalow, injuring a Mrs. Harvey, who was the occupant of the bungalow. The pilot was killed.

Crew of Meteor WB110
Flight Lieutenant Gordon Alexander McDonald RAF (pilot, aged 37) - killed

The inquest heard evidence that Flight Lieutenant McDonald survived the initial crash, and was heard shouting for help, but a faulty fire appliance meant that he could not be rescued from the cockpit before an intense fire killed the unfortunate man.

The crews of three aircraft (Meteor F.Mk.4s VT275 and VT281, and Meteor WB110) were all killed - three aircraft losses and three crew fatalities in the space of a few minutes.

The book by Bob Ogley "Ghosts of Biggin Hill" (ISBN 1-872337-41-4) contains the following description of this incident:

"An infamous day in the history of Biggin Hill was on 18 June 1951, when three Gloster Meteors crashed and their pilots were killed in accidents, all three crashing in an area of about 100 yards (91 metres). The first, a Meteor VIII piloted by Flight Lieutenant Gordon McDonald of 41 Squadron, crashed shortly after take-off, corkscrewing as pieces of structure fell from the aircraft. The aircraft hit a bungalow, killing the pilot. The jet wash of his flight leader was named as a possible cause. Within seconds of this accident two Mark IV Meteors of 600 Squadron, piloted by Sergeant Kenneth Clarkson and Squadron Leader Phillip Sandeman, both circling over the wreckage and preparing to land, collided at 2,000 ft (610 m) above the scene. Although Sandeman managed to bail out, he was killed when his parachute failed to open. Clarkson was killed in his aircraft. A week after this incident, another Meteor overshot the runway, narrowly missing passing cars. After these incidents, several residents stated they would be "selling up" and there were calls for traffic lights to be installed on the Bromley road for use during take-offs and landings. Princess Elizabeth, soon to be Queen Elizabeth II, was visiting the station on this day"

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.115 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
3. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.148
4. Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser - Friday 27 July 1951
5. 41 Squadron, RAF ORB (Operations Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/1/1951 to 31/12/1955: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2612/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8424251
6. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=19311.0
7. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WB
8. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=19325.0
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Biggin_Hill_Airport#Accidents
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_military_aircraft_(1950%E2%80%931954)#1951

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
31-May-2008 20:59	JINX	Added
07-Jun-2008 02:34	JINX	Updated
15-May-2013 13:33	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport]
13-Aug-2013 22:46	JINX	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Source]
11-May-2015 19:47	DB	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport]
30-Jan-2021 00:49	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]