Date:	Tuesday 4 September 1945
Time:	16:32 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk I
Owner/operator:	166 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	PA308
MSN:	AS-W
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 26
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Pomigliano Airfield, Pomigliano d'Arco, Naples, Italy
Destination airport:	RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. Mk. I PA308/AS-W of 166 Squadron, RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire written off (damaged beyond repair) in a belly landing at RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire. As far as is known all 26 on board (crew of six plus 20 'passengers') survived uninjured.

On 4th September 1945 this 166 Squadron aircraft was flown on "Operation Dodge" that saw a repatriation of Allied troops from the Mediterranean to the UK. The aircraft had a total of twenty-six people on board (six crew plus 20 ex-PoW passengers) when it took off but as it picked up speed on the rough runway at Pomigliano, Naples, Italy the main port tyre burst. The pilot managed to get the aircraft into the air and continued with the repatriation flight.

Where the aircraft was meant to land is not known but on their return to the UK this aircraft's undercarriage would not lower. The crew were then diverted to land at RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire owing to the length and width of the runway, and this airfield being geared up for emergency landings. Nearly eight hours after taking off a belly landing was made at RAF Carnaby airfield at 16.32hrs. Six other aircraft on this date were diverted to Tibbenham, Norfolk to land owing to bad weather.

On board: Pilot Flight/Lieutenant Ronald Arthur Walter Finch RAFVR (133676) plus five more crew and twenty ex-PoW passengers.

Brief History of Lancaster PA308
Built by Vickers Armstrongs to Contract Acft/271
27-03-1945: Issued to 550 Squadron, RAF North Killingholme, Lincolnshire as 'BQ-W'
29-03-1945: Issued to 166 Squadron, RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire as 'AS-W'
04-19-1945: CatB(FA) Flying accident at RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire as per the above
12-09-1945: ROS (Repair on Site) by 60 MU RAF Rufforth, York, North Yorkshire - later cancelled
24-09-1945: Re-Cat E(FA) and declared beyond economic repair
27-09-1945: Struck off charge as Cat. E(FA)

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
3. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/yorkp45/pa308.html
4. 166 Squadron RAF Operations Record Book (for the period 1 June to 18 November 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1089/60 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8436959
5. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/PA263-PA368/mobile/index.html
6. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): http://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/September/1.html
7. https://www.raf166squadron.com/Individuals.htm
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Kirmington#History
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._166_Squadron_RAF#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Aug-2013 03:05	JINX	Added
02-Nov-2018 18:10	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
19-Jul-2023 21:51	Nepa	Updated
25-Jan-2025 20:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]