Date:	Thursday 12 August 1954
Time:	evening
Type:	English Electric Canberra PR Mk 3
Owner/operator:	540 Sqn RAF
Registration:	WE149
MSN:	71163
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire (EGUY)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
EE Canberra PR.3 WE149: Delivered 6/10/53. RAF Service was with 540 Squadron, RAF only.

Written off 12/8/1954: The aircraft had been diverted to Scotland on its return from continental Europe. The incident took place in the early evening and in good visibility. WE149 was returning to base, and was seen to be on final approach to RAF Wyton at an altitude that seemed to be lower than normal. The pilot then called to say that he was going to overshoot the approach, and the Canberra was seen to be climbing away with the undercarriage lowered.

The Canberra then passed the Air Control Tower at an altitude if approximately 200 feet. The nose then rose up, the aircraft rolled to starboard, and dived into the ground almost inverted. Possible failure of fuel transfer valve after take-off. Aircraft seen crashed facing the beginning of runway. Both crew were killed. One of them was scheduled to be married on 24 August 1954

Crew of Canberra WE149:
Flight Lieutenant John Albert Ridley RAF (pilot, aged 24)
Flight Lieutenant William Robert Suffern (navigator, aged 25)

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.161 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p.21)
3. Category Five; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1954 to 2009 by Colin Cummings p.81
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._540_Squadron_RAF#Post-war
5. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VT
6. http://www.ukserials.com/prodlists.php?type=989

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Jun-2008 23:36	JINX	Added
12-Jan-2012 12:51	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Source]
04-Apr-2013 00:01	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
22-Oct-2013 18:26	Fernandez	Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative]
13-Jul-2014 16:04	HB	Updated [Location]
18-Apr-2020 20:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
18-Apr-2020 20:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]