Date:	Thursday 28 November 1957
Time:	day
Type:	Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig (TMR)
Owner/operator:	Rolls-Royce
Registration:	XK426
MSN:	2
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Hucknall, Nottinghamshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Hucknall, Nottinghamshire
Destination airport:	Hucknall, Nottinghamshire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
XK426 was the second of two Rolls Royce "Flying Bedsteads", (Thrust Measuring Rigs) - the first British jet plane to achieve a vertical take-off. It was involved in a fatal crash during trials on 28 November 1957.

The aircraft was carrying out an initial tethered flight in a gantry at Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. At 30 feet it paused, wobbled, and fell back rapidly and struck the ground heavily on its rear legs. It then bounced back up to 30 feet, fell back to the ground and toppled against the gantry structure killing the pilot. The pilot - New York-born Wing Commander Henry G.F. Larsen - was pinned underneath and crushed. He had been piloting the aircraft for the first time.

As a result of this accident, the other "Flying Bedstead" (Thrust Measuring Rig) was grounded. XK426 was the second of the two (the first was issued the serial XJ314). XK426 has a short flying life; it had only flown for the first time on 12 November 1957, and was wrecked in the above crash 16 days later.

The wreckage of XK426 was scrapped, XJ314 (TMR/"Flying Bedstead" No.1) was gifted to the Science Museum in London, where it remained on display

1. Youngstown Vindicator 29 November 1957, p 1
2. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm
3. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/on-this-day-november-29-1957-l6pxl62k2px
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Thrust_Measuring_Rig
5. http://naca.central.cranfield.ac.uk/reports/arc/rm/3336.pdf
6. Biography of pilot: http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/15037.php
7. https://www.airliners.net/photo/Rolls-Royce/Rolls-Royce-Thrust-Measuring-Rig/1539958
.

Oops moment. Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig (TMR) XK426 at Hucknall after its accident.
Via https://t.co/UDoqdiwUFM pic.twitter.com/eqlo76CWxh

— AusterityAirliners (@AusterityAirli1) April 27, 2020

Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig/"Flying Bedstead" No.1 XJ314 on display at the Science Museum, London

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Jan-2016 07:42	JINX	Added
18-Jul-2017 19:17	TB	Updated [Date, Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
24-Nov-2017 21:28	TB	Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
20-Oct-2019 18:31	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
20-Oct-2019 18:33	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Embed code, Narrative]
20-Oct-2019 18:35	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
27-Apr-2020 10:16	Aerossurance	Updated [Destination airport, Embed code]