Date:	Friday 25 May 1945
Time:	night
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk III
Owner/operator:	1661 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) RAF
Registration:	PB227
MSN:	GP-O
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire
Destination airport:	RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. Mk. III PB227/GP-O of 1661 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 25 May 1945 when swung off the runway on landing and undercarriage collapsed at RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire. As far as is known, the seven crew did not sustain any injuries

Crew:
Pilot: Squadron Leader J C Comans RAAF
Pilot (Under Training): Flight Sergeant T E Stubbs RAF
Plus, five other crew - names not known

The pilot may be F/Lt James Leopold Vincent Comans (RAAF/413349) awarded a DFC for service with 97 Sqdn, Gazette of 30 June 1944.

Brief History of Lancaster PB227
Built by A V Roe & Co Chadderton, Manchester to Contract Acft/1807
25-06-1944: Delivered to the RAF at 32 MU RAF St. Athan, South Glamorgan
18-07-1944: Issued to 460 Squadron RAAF as RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire as 'AR-P'
08-08-1944: Cat.A(c) damaged in operational service. ROS (Repaired on Site) by A V Roe & Co Lincoln
29-09-1944: Repairs completed, returned to service with 460 Squadron RAAF
28-01-1945: Cat. B(FA) flying accident in operational service
05-02-1945: ROS (Repaired on Site) by A V Roe & Co Lincoln
17-02-1945: Repairs completed, returned to service 1661 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire as 'GP-O'
26-05-1945: Cat. E(FA) in landing accident at RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire as per the above
31-05-1945: Struck off charge as Cat. E2(FA)

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database http://robdavistelford.co.uk/webspace/raf_bc
3. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p.118)
4. 1661 HCU RAF Operational Record Book (Summary of Events for the period 1 May to 31 July 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/613/8 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7160911
5. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/PB176-PB237/mobile/index.html
6. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/May/1.html
7. https://www.avro-lancaster.info/pbseries/pb227
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conversion_units_of_the_Royal_Air_Force#List_of_conversion_units
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Winthorpe#Second_World_War

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Aug-2013 21:30	JINX	Added
02-Nov-2018 18:11	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
10-Nov-2023 17:35	Nepa	Updated [Location, Phase, Destination airport, Operator, ]
10-Nov-2023 17:36	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
19-May-2024 14:25	Rob Davis	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
26-Jan-2025 01:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
15-Sep-2025 06:39	Rob Davis	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]