Date:	Tuesday 4 March 1952
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk 8
Owner/operator:	56 (Punjab) Sqn RAF
Registration:	WE888
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	St Margaret's Church, Hales, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:	RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8 WE888: Delivered to the RAF at 33 MU Lyneham 8.6.51. First issued to 56 Sqn RAF Waterbeach 17.7.51 coded K. Written off (destroyed) when the Cockpit over-pressurised and the canopy failed; the Metero dived into ground, at St Margaret's Church, Hales, Norfolk, 4.3.52. Pilot (Flt Lieutenant George Vladimor Svehla) killed; a civilian (Mrs M.E. Colman) was injured on the ground

The aircraft practicing aerobatics at high altitude near RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk when both engines were heard to stop. the aircraft was then seen to dive towards the ground at an increasing angle, before hitting the ground almost vertically.

The cause of the accident is believed to have been over-pressurisation of the cockpit due to a blocked filter. This, in turn led to both cockpit windscreen and canopy failure, which may have rendered the pilot unconscious due to anoxia (oxygen starvation).

Pilot of Meteor WE888:
Flight Lieutenant (203390) George Vladimir Svehla (Pilot) RAF - killed on active service 4.3.52.

St Margaret's Church is a redundant Anglican church in the village of Hales, Norfolk, England, at approximate coordinates 52.5106°N 1.5111°E. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church stands in open fields to the south of the village and to the east of the A146 road.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p 126 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 226
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 36)
4. 56 Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/1/1951 to 31/12/1955: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2620/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8424700
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/79: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424200
6. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/32/S2561: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578407
7. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WA
8. http://www.bvror.uk/index.php/articles/post-ww2/81-flt-lt-george-vladimir-svehla
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Margaret's_Church,_Hales

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Jun-2008 15:47	JINX	Added
23-Dec-2008 11:10	Anon.	Updated
15-Jan-2012 14:59	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Phase, Source]
26-May-2017 17:29	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
30-Dec-2019 23:45	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
28-Feb-2021 02:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Phase, Source, Narrative]
28-Feb-2021 02:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
19-May-2021 09:26	Anon.	Updated [Location, Narrative, Operator]