Date:	Thursday 31 December 1953
Time:	14:30
Type:	Gloster Meteor T Mk 7
Owner/operator:	RAF Flying College
Registration:	WA654
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Manor Farm field, Stewton, 2 miles East of Louth, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Manby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF Manby, Lincolnshire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor T.Mk.7 WA654, RAF Flying College, Manby: Delivered 2/12/1949. Written off (destroyed) 31/12/53 when aircraft engine caught fire in flight. The aircraft came down at Manor Farm field, Stewton, two miles east of Louth, Lincolnshire, England, and three miles from RAF Manby. One of the two crew was killed.

Aircraft took off from Manby Airfield at 14:20 hrs with airman passenger in the rear seat. At 14:28 hrs the pilot called Manby control saying he had experienced an engine fire and requested a priority landing. This call was acknowledged and clearance given. At 14:29 hrs the pilot called again saying that the fire was still burning, and that he was abandoning the aircraft. He jettisoned the canopy and inverted the aircraft. The passenger bailed out, fell clear of the aircraft, and landed at approximately 14:30 hrs, sustained minor injuries.

The pilot fell from the aircraft a moment before the crash and struck the ground 150 yards short of the point of impact suffering fatal injuries. It appears that he sustained fatal injuries due to a combination the low altitude that he bailed out from the aircraft, the fact that the pilot's parachute canopy had become entangled in the tailplane, and the shroud lines were torn.

A Posthumous award of a George Cross recommended to pilot. Pilot awarded Queen's Commendation For Brave Conduct. According to the London Gazette of 4/5/1954 (see link #8):

"Air Ministry, 4th May, 1954.
The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to give orders for the publication of the name of the undermentioned deceased officer who has been commended for gallantry in the air on 31st December, 1953:—

Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct (Posthumous):- Flight Lieutenant Ralph Frederick FISHER (58547), Royal Air Force".

Crew of Meteor T.7 WA62754:
Flight Lieutenant Ralph Frederick FISHER (pilot. Service Number 58547, aged 27) RAF - killed on active service 31/12/53
Senior Aircraftsman F. Brown (Passenger) - bailed out and survived with minor injuries

The reported craash location is in the area of Stewton, a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated about 2 miles east from the town of Louth, in the Lincolnshire Wolds at approximate co ordinates 53.36°N, 0.0433°E.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.153 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 439
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 11)
4. Aircraft Accident Card (AM1180) RAF Air Historical Branch
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/191: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424312
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WA
7. https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/300245-meteor-accidents-1953-a-7.html#post9208549
8. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40163/supplement/2618/data.pdf
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stewton

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-May-2008 21:29	JINX	Added
06-Jun-2008 22:08	JINX	Updated
12-May-2015 17:02	BlB	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location]
23-Feb-2018 18:00	CNJF208	Updated [Time, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
09-Jan-2020 18:15	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
09-Jan-2020 18:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
12-Mar-2020 16:13	DG333	Updated [Operator, Operator]
13-May-2021 21:13	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative, Operator]
25-May-2021 17:44	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative]
01-Jul-2021 17:02	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Operator]