Date:	Friday 29 July 1955
Time:	day
Type:	Vickers Valiant B Mk 1
Owner/operator:	138 Sqn RAF
Registration:	WP222
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Barnack, near RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wittering, Lincolnshire (EGXT)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Vickers Valiant WP222, 138 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 29/7/55 when crashed shortly after take off from RAF Wittering. All four crew killed. According to a contemporary report (see link #5):

"Toward the end of July 1955 flying in 138 Squadron was concentrated on WP222, with it being flown by all the crews. Roy flew WP222 on the 25th, 27th and the 28th. On the morning of the very next day, the 29th July, WP 222 crashed at Barnack, shortly after take off in an easterly direction. The accident enquiry concluded that a runaway aileron trim tab actuator caused the accident. The aircraft banked to port at 60 degrees before it struck the ground and exploded. It has been said that on early Valiants the trim switch was very close to the ‘press to talk’ VHF button and it might have been inadvertently actuated by one of the pilots. However, the court of enquiry concluded that the runaway was caused by a short circuit in the electrical supply to the trim tab actuator. Either way it was a very lucky escape for Roy, a very close call indeed. Steps were taken to ensure that the trim tab travel was limited on all aircraft. Squadron Leader Chalk and his crew were buried with due ceremony in the Wittering Village Church".

Personal note from a contributor (eyewitness report):
"I was an Electrical Technician, service number 3144122 and was posted to RAF Gaydon on February 1955 and was demobbed on August 1956. I was employed on major servicing on the Valiant. At the time that WP222 crashed our log books were taken as part of the investigation, we were in no way implicated but we were told that crash was caused by a trim tab overrun which negated the action of the ailerons making the aircraft uncontrollable.!!"

Crew of Valiant WP222
Squadron Leader Eric Rupert Chalk AFC (Pilot, Service Number 175659,aged 33)
Flight Lieutenant Andrew Gordon Allen (Flight Engineer Officer, occupying the co-pilots's seat, Service Number 205133, aged 31)
Flying Officer Theodore Samuel Corkin (Navigator, Service Number 2211300, aged 30)
Pilot Officer Arthur Robert Lyons (Signaller/Air Electronics Officer, aged 33)

1. Eyewitness report (see above)
2. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.171 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 82)
4. Category Five; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1954 to 2009 by Colin Cummings p.147-148
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/288: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424409
6. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/34/S2769: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578549
7. http://www.vickersvaliant.com/1st-pilot-of-the-1st-v-bomber.html
8. http://www.vforcereunion.co.uk/article2.html
9. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1950-1959_26.html
10. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1101039843360004/
11. Gravestone of pilot, Squadron Leader R E Chalk: https://www.flickr.com/photos/96555212@N08/48523467691/
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnack

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Sep-2013 19:11	TB	Added
29-Sep-2013 19:42	TB	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Departure airport, Narrative]
02-Oct-2019 12:57	Anon.	Updated [Source, Narrative]
02-Oct-2019 12:58	harro	Updated [Narrative]
13-Jan-2020 00:25	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative]
13-Jan-2020 14:14	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator]
24-May-2020 00:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
28-Aug-2022 06:19	Joe landy	Updated [Location, Narrative]
09-Jul-2023 21:02	Nepa	Updated [[Location, Narrative]]