Date:	Friday 16 January 1948
Time:
Type:	North American Harvard T.2B
Owner/operator:	203 AFS RAF
Registration:	KF212
MSN:	14A-1921
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Bristol Channel, Lynmouth Bay, 3 miles N of Lynmouth, Devon, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Chivenor, Barnstaple, Devon
Destination airport:

Narrative:
North American Harvard T.2B KF212 (MSN 14A-1921), 203 AFS RAF: Written off (destroyed) 16-1-48 when crashed into the Bristol Channel, at Lynmouth Bay, 3 miles North of Lynmouth, Devon

The Harvard was engaged in a practice instrument flying training sortie, when it was seen to dive towards the sea at an angle of 45 degrees, and an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet. The aircraft struck the sea at Lynmouth Bay, 3 miles off Lynmouth, Devon, without any apparent attempt to pull out of the dive. Both crew were killed

Crew of Harvard KF212
Pilot Officer Alan Stanley Drummond Horne, RAF - killed on active service 16-1-1948
Flying Officer Keith Ian Duncan RAF - killed on active service 16-1-1948

The subsequent Board of Inquiry considered that the on-board dinghy pack carried by one of the crew may have accidentally inflated, causing a control restriction, which could not be overcome in the altitude and the time available. It was recommended that a knife be carried as part of the standard flying kit, and this recommendation was adopted as standard procedure thereafter.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.71. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.365
3. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988 p.115)
4. ORB 203 AFS RAF for the period 1-6-1947 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1771: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101481
5. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=KF212
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynmouth

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
01-May-2023 19:11	Dr. John Smith	Added
01-May-2023 20:42	Nepa	Updated