Date:	Thursday 25 September 1958
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Scimitar F Mk I
Owner/operator:	803 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	XD240
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	English Channel, near HMS Victorious, off Portsmouth, Hampshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	HMS Victorious, at sea off Portsmouth, Hampshire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
On 25 September 1958, the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Victorious had just completed a 20 million Pound refit and was embarking her aircraft at sea off Portsmouth.

The Commanding Officer of No. 803 Naval Air Squadron landed his Scimitar on the flight deck normally, but the No. 1 arrestor wire failed and the plane ran at low speed over the ship's side and fell into the the sea.

The pilot was unable to escape the sinking aircraft and died.The rescue diver from the Whirlwind SAR helicopter - who was on the scene in seconds - actually sat on the sinking aircraft to try and get the canopy open but to no avail.

Commander John Desmond Russell, Royal Navy, killed in a flying accident. R.I.P.

Divers recovered the nose section of XD240 and Commander Russell's body four weeks later and underwater escape training was improved as a result of the investigation. Trials of ejections through the canopy were carried out in 1959, resulting in the fitting of canopy breakers to the head box of the seat. Underwater ejection trials did not take place until 1962.

Shortly after this accident, the ejection seats of all Scimitars were issued with modified leg restraint garters that had removable D rings to cope with when the cords would not disconnect from the seat pan. According to contemporary reports, it was said that when XD240 sank, the pilot was free apart from his leg restraints. He could not undo them in time, and the aircraft dragged him under.

In those days the emergency egress drills on the surface recommended that you undid everything before getting rid of the canopy on the basis that it provided protection from fire on the ground and water coming in at sea.

At the time of the crash, large numbers of the press had been invited aboard for a "photo-opportunity", hence the accident was front page material in the press of the next day - before the family had been informed. It also accounts for the news footage below which captured the tragedy as it happened

1. Hampshire Telegraph - Friday 31 October 1958
2. Western Mail - Friday 05 December 1958
3. Worthing Herald - Friday 05 December 1958
4. https://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/112883-scimitar-canopy-jettison.html
5. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1958.htm
6. http://www.tank-net.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=36186
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Scimitar#Operational_history
8. "Flight & Aircraft Engineer." Flight International, 2593, October 1958.
9. National Archives (PRO Kew) File ADM 1/26970 ("Salvage of Scimitar aircraft XD 240 in English Channel"): http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4848080
10. https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675059106_Supermarine-Scimitar_Victorious-aircraft-carrier_rescuing-the-pilot

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
19-Apr-2013 20:34	angels one five	Added
08-May-2013 17:42	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Narrative]
23-Sep-2013 13:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
26-Jun-2014 22:56	angels one five	Updated [Operator]
14-Nov-2018 15:11	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
18-Feb-2020 18:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Destination airport, Source, Embed code]