Date:	Wednesday 20 March 1946
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH.103 Hornet F Mk 1
Owner/operator:	64 Sqn RAF
Registration:	PX283
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Hoveton, 1 mile NNE of Wroxham, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk
Destination airport:

Narrative:
De Havilland Hornet F.Mk.1 PX283, 64 Squadron RAF: Written off (destroyed) when hit trees when low flying near Hoveton, 1-mile North-North East of Wroxham, Norfolk, 20.3.46. Pilot killed.
Crew:
Flying Officer (197628) William Thomas HARDIE (pilot) RAFVR- killed on active service 20/3/46

PX283 was 64 Squadron's first DH Hornet, having been delivered on 16 February 1946, piloted by Squadron Leader John Shaw, Commanding Officer of 64 Squadron. 64 Squadron was also the first squadron to be re-equipped with the DH Hornet. In other words, PX283 was the first DH Hornet to be delivered to the first squadron to use the type operationally, and the first DH Hornet to be involved in a fatal flying accident.

The reported crash location is Hoveton, one mile north north-east of Wroxham, a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is situated within the Norfolk Broads on the south side of a loop in the middle reaches of the river Bure, and immediately across the river Bure from the village of Wroxham. Whilst Hoveton is north of the river, Wroxham is south; but many people refer to the whole settlement as "Wroxham"

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.34. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. The Hornet File (Lewis G Cooper Air Britain Historians Ltd; First Edition (Oct. 1992); 10: 0851302025; ISBN-13)
3. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.98
4. 64 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2427/37: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8420252
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.97: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH103%20prodn%20list.txt
7. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2764313/william-thomas-hardie/
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59971964/william-thomas-hardie
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=19088
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wroxham
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoveton

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Jun-2018 08:27	Nepa	Added
06-Nov-2019 02:25	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
12-Nov-2019 22:21	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator]
23-Jun-2021 22:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, Category]
23-Jun-2021 22:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category]
07-Jul-2023 13:51	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Location, Source, Narrative, Category]]
08-Jul-2023 21:39	Nepa	Updated [[[Location, Source, Narrative, Category]]]