Date:	Tuesday 6 May 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	CGS RAF
Registration:	SL547
MSN:	CBAF.4661
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Catfoss, 4 miles west of Hornsea, East Yorkshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire
Destination airport:	RAF Catfoss, East Yorkshire

Narrative:
SL547: Spitfire LF.XVI, MSN CBAF.4661. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. Delivered to Cunliffe-Owen for mods 19-7-45. To the RAF at 6 MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, 29-8-45. Issued to the RAF Central Gunnery School, RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire 2-12-46.

Severely damaged in a flapless landing, which caused the undercarriage to collapse at RAF Catfoss, 4 miles West of Hornsea, East Yorkshire on 6-5-47. The pilot was attacking a ground target at the RAF Cowden Gunnery Ranges, and released the underwing RPs (Rocket Projectiles). Shortly after this, the aircraft began to vibrate badly, and the pilot set up for a flapless landing at RAF Catfoss. However, the pilot discovered that the throttle lever had jammed partially open, and he was unable to regulate his speed for the approach. The aircraft handed heavily at RAF Catfoss, the undercarriage collapsed, and the pilot sustained an injury when he hit his head on the gunsight. He was temporarily rendered unconscious and thus lost control of the aircraft which ran off the runway and sustained severe damage to the airframe

Damage initially assessed as Cat. C (Repairable) 6-5-47. Not repaired, re-cat. E and Struck Off Charge 29-5-47

RAF Catfoss is a former Royal Air Force station during the Second World War. It was located 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Hornsea, Yorkshire, England and 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Leconfield, Yorkshire, with the nearest village being Brandesburton.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.62. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.298-299
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain 1985)
4. CGS RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1789: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101499
5. "RAF Write offs 1947": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No.2 1978: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1978.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p099.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/SL547
8. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90087-sl547
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Cowden#History
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Catfoss

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Apr-2013 12:42	Dr. John Smith	Added
28-Apr-2013 12:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Registration]
30-Mar-2014 17:16	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
25-Nov-2019 23:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
27-Nov-2019 12:03	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, Operator]
19-Jul-2021 11:50	Anon.	Updated [Location, Operator]
17-May-2023 20:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Location, Operator]]
17-May-2023 20:28	Nepa	Updated [[[Location, Operator]]]
02-Sep-2023 03:24	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[[Location, Operator]]]]
02-Sep-2023 09:02	Nepa	Updated [[[[[Location, Operator]]]]]