ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 172807
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| Date: | Saturday 11 December 1943 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIc |
| Owner/operator: | 254 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | JL637 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Lazenby Steps, Grangetown, Middlesborough, North Yorkshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF North Coates, Lincolnshire |
Beaufighter JL637: Took off for Rover Patrol. 11/12/1943
On 11th December 1943 this aircraft developed engine trouble whilst on torpedo patrol (called "Rover Patrol") over North Sea. The pilot made for the nearest land and saw the lights of what he probably thought was an airfield but they were the lights of the dummy airfield (Q.Site) near Lazenby Steps, situated close to the mouth of the River Tees. The aircraft attempted to land on this boggy location and was wrecked and caught fire on touching down.
RAF Hospital Northallerton attended the scene and reported that the aircraft had crashed on a railway line whilst flying in the dark. Their ORB stated that the pilot was killed instantly but the navigator had initially survived suffering severe head injuries. The ORB also stated "the mobile surgical unit was summoned and transfused the patient three minutes after arrival after the local hospital had made 11 fruitless attempts. He recovered sufficiently to be brought into hospital where he died the next day.
Crew:
F/O (135.607) Thomas SOWERBUTTS (pilot) RAFVR - Killed instantly.
Sgt (1530968) Henry Norman PEPPER (nav.) RAFVR - Died of injuries on 13/12/1943.
Sources:
1.http://web.archive.org/web/20110502064423/
2.http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk:80/aircraft/planes/north/jl637.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Jan-2015 20:50 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 07-Feb-2015 21:59 | Lixon | Updated [Operator, Departure airport] |
| 20-May-2021 20:14 | BlBe | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Operator] |
| 15-Jan-2022 21:50 | Nepa | Updated [Source, Narrative, Operator] |
| 11-Nov-2022 13:26 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Narrative, Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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