Date:	Thursday 24 January 1957
Time:	night
Type:	de Havilland DH.112 Venom NF Mk 3
Owner/operator:	23 Sqn RAF
Registration:	WX904
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near RAF Horsham St Faith, Norfolk. -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Horsham St Faith, Norfolk
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
De Havilland DH.112 Venom NF.3, WX904: Delivered 10/10/1955. Sole RAF service career was as "F" of 23 Squadron.

Written off (destroyed) 24/1/57: The aircraft was one of a pair taking part in a high altitude practice interception. The first aircraft of the pair took off from RAF Horsham St. Faith, and was followed one minute later by Venom WX904. After take off Venom WX904 climbed very steeply. Having reached an altitude of about 300 feet, the Venom then descended and struck the ground near RAF Horsham St. Faith.

Of the two crew one - the navigator - survived with injuries, mainly due to his "bone dome" protective flying helmet. The pilot, however, did not survived the impact, and was killed.

Crew of Venom WX904:
Flying Officer Brian William TOWERSEY, RAF (pilot, Service Number 3517111, aged 21) - killed on active service 24/1/1957
Flying Officer J.F.C.GARRETT, RAF (navigator) - survived with minor head injuries (cuts and bruises)

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.187 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 107)
3. Category Five; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1954 to 2009 by Colin Cummings p.232
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/381: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424502
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/36/S2863: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578643
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WX
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH112%20prodn%20list.txt
8. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Jun-2011 21:39	angels one five	Added
27-Jan-2012 14:09	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Location, Narrative]
27-Jan-2012 14:10	Nepa	Updated [Total occupants, Nature]
28-Jun-2014 01:49	angels one five	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Narrative]
20-Sep-2014 08:45	Juan P.Paco	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport]
19-May-2015 17:38	DG333	Updated [Aircraft type, Location]
22-Jan-2020 20:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Narrative]
23-Jan-2020 21:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative]
23-Jan-2020 22:43	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator]
28-Jul-2020 23:24	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]