Date:	Sunday 2 October 2016
Time:	14:34 LT
Type:	North American P-51D-25NT Mustang
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-MSTG
MSN:	124-48271
Year of manufacture:	1945
Engine model:	Packard Motor Car Co Merlin V1650-7
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, repaired
Category:	Accident
Location:	Topcroft Farm Airstrip, near Hardwick Airfield, Norfolk -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Topcroft Farm Airstrip, near Hardwick Airfield, Norfolk
Destination airport:	Topcroft Farm Airstrip, near Hardwick Airfield, Norfolk
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
North American P-51D Mustang "Janie" was destroyed when it impacted the ground near Hardwick Airfield, a former RAF station 16 miles south of Norwich. There was a post-crash fire.
The pilot was killed.

"The aircraft was returning to a private airstrip and, on landing, bounced twice before attempting to go around. The aircraft had been subjected to a crosswind from the right during its approach and on go-around flew a flight path increasingly diverging to the left, away from the airstrip. It remained at low level until it struck a tree close to the airstrip. The passenger was fatally injured and the pilot survived with serious injuries. There was no evidence of any aircraft system failure or malfunction which could have contributed to the accident. The accident was most likely a result of loss of directional control due to a combination of crosswind and effects of applying go-around power whilst the aircraft was at low speed. The investigation identified other aspects concerning the safety clothing to be worn in ex-military aircraft."

=Damage to airframe=
Per the AAIB report "aircraft destroyed". However, as can be seen from the "aircraft history below", this aircraft was rebuilt, re-registered as G-CLNV and first flew again after rebuild on 25 August 2023.

1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/59c2839b40f0b65db9b9eacf/North_American_P-51D_Mustang_G-MSTG_10-17.pdf
2. https://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/serial/45-11518
3. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/one-man-dies-after-light-aircraft-crash-near-former-raf-hardwick-site-1-4719703
4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-37534944
5. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/one-man-dies-after-light-aircraft-crash-near-former-raf-hardwick-site-1-4719703
6. https://www.norfolk.police.uk/news/latest-news/plane-crash-near-bungay
7. http://www.thevictoryshow.co.uk/index.php/event-diary/aircraft/p51-mustang-g-mstg-janie
8. http://www.norfolkfireservice.gov.uk/nfrs/response/live-incident-feed
9. https://news.sky.com/story/one-dead-in-plane-crash-near-bungay-in-norfolk-10603312
10. 2018 [Inquest Into death of pilot]: http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/benjamin-marshall-plane-crash-inquest-1-5498982
11. https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1945.html
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidents_and_incidents_involving_the_North_American_P-51_Mustang#2010s
13. [Photo as NZ2427 circa 1968] https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/29191/pete-coleman-mustangs-mystery
14. https://planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/NZ2427/852886
15. http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/p51-4511518.html
16. https://www.key.aero/article/rebuilt-mustang-flies-sywell
17. https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/a-well-known-mustang-arisen-from-its-ashes

G-MSTG was built for the USAAF as 45-11518 but never saw service. The P-51D was transferred to the RNZAF (Royal New Zealand Air Force) on 27 August 1945, and became NZ2427, but again was put into storage (disassembled and crated) and not used immediately. As NZ2427, this P-51D was assembled, but again was not used, being stored at Rukuhia and Woodbourne. Subsequent history 1958 to 2023 was as follows:
1958: (May) Struck off charge and sold under the GSB Tender Number 5926 for $160NZ (then £80 GBP) to ANAS Co, Nelson NZ
1958: Peter Coleman/Barry North, North Blenheim NZ, complete aircraft, stored
1960: Peter Coleman, North Blenheim NZ
1973: dismantled and stored
1990: Tim Wallis/Alpine Fighter Collection, Wanaka NZ, began restoration
1997: (Feb 9), registered as G-MSTG, Maurice Hammond, Eye, Suffolk, UK, restoration in UK
2001: Complete restoration to WWII stock standard including guns, sights, etc.
2001: (Jul 14), first flight after restoration completed Marked as ‘414419/LH-F’ with the name Janie
2016: (Oct 2), crashed, Hardwick Airfield - Norfolk UK, crashed on landing, post-fire, preliminary reports: 1 serious - pilot, 1 fatal - Passenger John Marshall (as per details above)
2020: (Jun 24): Re-registered G-CLNV, Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd, Graham Peacock, Dunmow, Essex, UK
Restoration at Air Leasing
2021: As G-CLNV, put up for sale, W Air Collection
2023: (Aug 25): First-Flight at Sywell Aerodrome, Northants., UK - Rebuilt as a TF-51D. After the test flight, 45-11518 was flown to her new home, La Ferte Alais, France.

Mustang fatal accident, 2 Oct 16 https://t.co/gh2zAKTWrg pic.twitter.com/FB4ifYChGv

— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) October 12, 2017

Man dies and another critically injured after plane crashes near #Bungay https://t.co/S3qbpqWFcp

— East Anglian DT (@EADT24) October 2, 2016

Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service: one person has died & another has been taken to hospital after a light aircraft crashed at Hardwick Airfield

— Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) October 2, 2016

A man has sadly died & another remains in a critical condition following plane crash near Bungay this afternoon >> https://t.co/N8Vn6VngmB pic.twitter.com/l0VAi9ckeP

— Norfolk Police (@NorfolkPolice) October 2, 2016

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Oct-2016 16:31	Aerossurance	Added
02-Oct-2016 17:03	harro	Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code]
02-Oct-2016 17:15	Aerossurance	Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative]
02-Oct-2016 17:29	Aerossurance	Updated [Narrative]
02-Oct-2016 18:12	Aerossurance	Updated [Phase, Destination airport, Narrative]
02-Oct-2016 19:24	gerard57	Updated [Aircraft type]
02-Oct-2016 19:26	harro	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source]
02-Oct-2016 19:28	harro	Updated [Narrative]
02-Oct-2016 21:45	Aerossurance	Updated [Source]
02-Oct-2016 21:54	Geno	Updated [Source]
02-Oct-2016 23:51	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
03-Oct-2016 00:21	angels one five	Updated [Embed code, Narrative]
03-Oct-2016 08:18	Aerossurance	Updated [Location, Narrative]
03-Oct-2016 15:21	Aerossurance	Updated [Time, Narrative]
04-Oct-2016 04:09	Iceman 29	Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
04-Oct-2016 06:32	Aerossurance	Updated [Location, Destination airport]
04-Oct-2016 10:55	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, Narrative]
13-Oct-2017 00:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Embed code]
13-Oct-2017 00:44	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
01-May-2018 09:47	Iceman 29	Updated [Source]
01-May-2018 09:52	Iceman 29	Updated [Photo, ]
04-Apr-2024 15:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Source, Narrative, Category]
04-Apr-2024 15:03	ASN	Updated [Operator, Damage, Narrative]