ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 144533
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| Date: | Friday 13 December 1957 |
| Time: | 12:15 LT |
| Type: |  Hawker Hunter F Mk.6 |
| Owner/operator: | 66 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | XG202 |
| MSN: | 41H/680027 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Butterwell Farm, Pegswood, 1½ miles NE of Morpeth, Northumberland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Acklington, Northumberland |
| RAF Acklington, Northumberland | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
The RAF paid an unexpected visit to Butterwell Farm, December 15 1957. Shortly after 12-15pm Flight Lieutenant J. Christopher Bryce of 66 Squadron RAF Acklington departed the main runway and carried out a climbing turn over Broomhill.
As Hawker Hunter XG202 'E' climbed through 2,000 feet, Flt Lt Bryce suspected the airspeed indicator was not functioning properly. He was told to formate with a Meteor flying in the area, the latter confirming that the Hunter’s Airspeed was out by some 100 knots.
The Meteor was to stay with Flt Lt Bryce and escort him back to Acklington. However, as the Hunter turned over Stannington the engine cut at 2,000 feet. Flt Lt Bryce attempted to restart the engine without success leaving him with the decision whether to make a forced landing at Acklington, with a faulty airspeed indicator, or ejecting. He chose the latter and descended by parachute into the grounds of King Edward VI Grammar School Morpeth.
Hunter Mk 6, XG 202 made a more undignified return to earth coming to ground in a field south of the Hebron to Longhirst road. The latter it passed over before crossing another field and ended its flight in an abrupt halt against the garden wall of Butterwell Farmhouse. A fault in the fuel system had caused the engine to come to a halt while a blocked pitot tube was found to have caused the airspeed indicator malfunction.
The local press, in the form of the Morpeth Herald, carried the story, December 20 1957, basing its information on an un-named ‘businessman in the street’ who brought the response; ‘…I thought the engine was doing a lot of banging’. Bearing in mind that the Hunter’s engine had cut over Stannington, some four miles south of Morpeth, it is well never to trust the Morpeth ‘businessman in the street’(!)
In 1977, after planning permission had given it the all clear, opencast mining was carried out in the area around Butterwell. As part of the deal, Butterwell Farm, along with others in the area, was demolished.
Sources:
http://web.archive.org/web/20170421194235/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1957.htm#dec
http://pegswoodahistory.50megs.com/pegstext/butterwellfarm.htm
http://www.ukserials.com/images/losses/xg289.jpg
http://www.nelsam.org.uk/NEAR/Losses/Losses-PostWWII.htm
www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Mar-2012 00:41 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 17-Aug-2012 03:04 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 16-Apr-2013 18:58 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Apr-2013 19:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn] |
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