Date:	Friday 13 July 1945
Time:	11:23
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk III
Owner/operator:	97 (The Straits Settlements) Squadron RAF
Registration:	PB422
MSN:	OF-P
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	River Bain, Butt's Bridge (A153) Tattershall, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk I PB422/OF-P, 97 (The Straits Settlements) Squadron RAF Coningsby Lincolnshire. Written off (destroyed) 13 July 1945 when crashed shortly after takeoff from RAF Coningsby.

The Lancaster was tasked for a bombing and gunnery training exercise. On takeoff, the port outer engine caught fire. The aircraft then made a climbing turn to port, stalled, and then stalled and crashed into trees, coming to rest in the River Bain between Tattershall and Coningsby. The exact site of the crash is not clearly recorded, but is believed to be in this vicinity of Butt's Bridge (which carries the A153 road across the River Bain). All four of the crew members were killed in the incident.

Crew of Lancaster PB422
Flying Officer Jack Lindsay BENDIX (172049) (Air Bomber): Commemorated Skellingthorpe (St. Lawrence) Churchyard, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Jack EASTWOOD (1768114) (Wireless Op): Commemorated Yeadon Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Alfred James MOLYNEUX (1078979) (Flight Engineer): Commemorated Liverpool (Allerton) Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flying Officer Ronald William WRIGHT (176661) (Pilot): Commemorated Cardington (St. Mary) Church Cemetery, Cardington, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom

The crash of Lancaster PB422 was one of two crashes of 97 (The Straits Settlements) Squadron aircraft at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire on the same day - Friday 13th July 1945: see also the (non fatal) crash of Lancaster PB133.

A memorial plaque was erected to the crew of Lancaster PB422 (see below) on Butt's Bridge

Tattershall is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated on the A153 Horncastle to Sleaford road, 1 mile (1.6 km) east from the point where that road crosses the River Witham at Tattershall Bridge. At its eastern end, Tattershall adjoins the town of Coningsby, with the two being separated by the River Bain and is 1 mile (1.6 km) south-east from the hamlet Tattershall Thorpe.

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. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#jul
5. 97 (The Straits Settlements) Squadron Operational Records Book (Record of Events for the period 1 June 1945 to 31 July 1950): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2444/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8420937
6. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/PB407-PB473/mobile/index.html
7. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/July/1.html
8. https://www.avro-lancaster.info/pbseries/pb422
9. https://heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Monument/MLI125800
10. https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/Tributes-wanted-70-years-RAF-Coningsby-Lancaster/story-25985699-detail/story.html
11. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=PB422
12. https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/264833/
13. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32940151/ronald-william-wright
14. https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/101642/
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Coningsby#History
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._97_Squadron_RAF#World_War_II.

Lancasters WF4175 and PB422 © Colin Murray (WMR-91366)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Aug-2013 06:12	JINX	Added
31-Aug-2013 21:25	JINX	Updated [Location, Departure airport, ]
13-Jun-2015 18:18	gerard57	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative, ]
01-Nov-2018 14:55	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Operator, ]
01-Mar-2025 00:13	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, ]
01-Mar-2025 00:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
01-Mar-2025 16:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, ]