Date:	Monday 26 February 1945
Time:	14:38
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk III
Owner/operator:	12 Squadron RAF
Registration:	PB243
MSN:	PH-D
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Stainton-le-Vale, 5 miles NE of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. Mk. III PB243/PH-D of 12 Squadron RAF: Written off (destroyed) 26 February 1945 when dived into the ground on a training flight at Stainton-le-Vale, 5 miles North East of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. Shortly before the crash, the aircraft was seen nose down and turning slightly to port at an altitude of 1,000 feet, at which point the Lancaster crashed into a field port wing first. The subsequent Board of Inquiry into the incident suggested that the Lancaster's autopilot may have been inadvertantly engaged while the aircraft was turning to port

Crew of a Lancaster was normally 7, but on this flight, there were 6 on board, all killed:

Crew:
Pilot: Pilot Officer Keith Robert Hewson Lindley RAFVR 191458 (NCO:1399510: Commission Gazetted Tuesday 03 April, 1945) [Killed]: Commemorated Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery, United Kingdom
2nd Pilot: Flight Sergeant Ronald Charles Abbs RAFVR 1581934 [Killed]: Commemorated West Runton (Holy Trinity) Churchyard, United Kingdom
Navigator: Sergeant Clifford Bennett Douglas RAFVR 1815285 [Killed]: Commemorated Burton-Upon-Trent Cemetery, United Kingdom
Bomb Aimer: Flight Sergeant Eric John Dalton Stone RAF 545602 [Killed]: Commemorated Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery, United Kingdom
Wireless Operator: Sergeant Samuel Arthur Bragg RAFVR 1893070 [Killed]: Commemorated Cwmllynfell (St. Margaret) Churchyard, United Kingdom
Air Gunner: Sergeant Eric George Andrews RAFVR 2206065 [Killed]: Commemorated Stockport Crematorium, United Kingdom

Stainton le Vale is a village in the civil parish of Thoresway in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated about 6 miles (9.7 km) north-east from the town of Market Rasen and about 6 miles south-east from the town of Caistor. It is a former civil parish and lies in the Lincolnshire Wolds,

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
3. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain 1985)
4. http://www.leatherheadlocalhistory.org.uk/ashtead-war-memorials/AshteadWM-LindleyKRH-story.htm
5. http://www.judithjohnson.co.uk/not-commemorated.html
6. http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/lancaster-crashes-in-lincolnshire-lancaster-crash-sites
7. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#feb
8. 12 Squadron RAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 28 February 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/169/3 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8408322
9. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/PB238-PB305/mobile/index.html
10. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/February/prt2/2.html
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._12_Squadron_RAF#The_World_Wars
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainton_le_Vale.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-Aug-2013 05:00	JINX	Added
28-Dec-2014 05:21	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
06-Jun-2015 10:22	Faun	Updated [Time, Operator, ]
18-Oct-2018 19:08	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
22-Dec-2024 07:25	Rob Davis	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
08-Feb-2025 00:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
08-Feb-2025 00:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]