Date:	Monday 8 October 1945
Time:	22:35 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	166 Sqn RAF
Registration:	NG304
MSN:	AS-A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster NG304/AS-A, 166 Squadron RAF: Written off (destroyed) by fire 8 October 1945 at RAF Kitmington, Lincolnshire. Whilst flying on instruments the pilot lost control of Lancaster NG304 after the port outer engine caught fire due to an oil leak.

The aircraft overshot on landing on three engines, nose-diving into the ground 100 yards from the Guardroom at RAF Kirmington at 22.35 hours. The aircraft accident record states:

"Lost control on overshoot, pilot allowed air speed to become too low. Over-banked, and pilot allowed P.O.(Port Outer) engine to feather. Failed to retract u/c as soon as possible, and pilot failed to order crew to crash stations, so they were not strapped in.

P.O (Port Outer) engine failed due to oil leak at 10:22: flame traps blocked with excessive oil from supercharger in bearing on handle shaft".

Six of the seven crew on board killed (one survivor):
Flt/Sgt (Pilot/Flt Eng) Peter William YOUNGMAN (1615004) RAFVR: killed
Sgt Alfred Francis BETTS (1868236) Air Gunner RAFVR: killed
Flt/Sgt Herbert John LINTOTT (1444528) Pilot RAFVR: killed
Flt/Sgt Royden Charles MAIDEN (2209740) W.Op/Air Gunner RAFVR: killed
Flt/Sgt Patrick Douglas McCLEMONT (1584122) Air Bomber RAFVR: killed
Flt/Sgt Edouard Zadoc SELIGMANN (1685867) Navigator RAFVR: killed
Sgt John Charles Henry BREAKWELL (1868233) Air Gunner – seriously Injured (Sole survivor)

Extracts from the 166 Squadron RAF Operations Record Book:

"8th October 1945 – 5 aircraft despatched on “Bullseye” exercise. Aircraft 'A '- Able returned early with port outer engine trouble due to oil leak. Crashed when attempting to overshoot on 3 engines at too low an altitude and burned up. Rear gunner the only survivor.

9th October 1945 – S/L D P White (new Group Accidents Officer) arrived to investigate the crash. Crew conference called with all A Flight crews to emphasise the importance of strict compliance with Bomber Command Handling Drills.

10th October 1945 – Crew conference held on the importance of strict compliance with Bomber Command Handling Drills. B and C Flight crews present.

11th October 1945 – Ruling received from Base to the effect that in future any pilot not having flown at night during a period of 6 weeks must be given a check with a qualified safety pilot before flying solo again. 10 crews otherwise fit for troop carrying thereby became unfit.

RAF Kirmington was a former Royal Air Force satellite station located 6.2 miles (10.0 km) north east of Brigg, Lincolnshire and 11 miles (18 km) south west of Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England. The location is now Humberside Airport.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents:
2. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p 108)
3. http://www.bcar.org.uk/1945-49-incident-logs
4. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=NG304
5. https://www.northlincsweb.net/RAFElshamWolds/html/8th_october_1945_-_166_squadron_-_raf_kirmington_-_avro_lancaste.html
6. 166 Squadron RAF Operations Record Book (1 January 1943-30 November 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1089 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2503728
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._166_Squadron_RAF#History
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2764118/youngman,-peter-william/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2712399/alfred-francis-betts/
10. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2933180/herbert-john-lintott/
11. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2411819/royden-charles-maiden/
12. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2702240/patrick-douglas-mcclemont/
13. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2431130/edouard-zadoc-seligmann/
14. https://www.raf166squadron.com/Individuals.htm
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Kirmington#Post_1945

Grave marker of Flt/Sgt (Pilot/Flt Eng) Peter William YOUNGMAN (1615004) RAFVR

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Oct-2019 00:34	Dr. John Smith	Added
27-Oct-2019 22:19	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
19-Jul-2023 22:00	Nepa	Updated
13-Jan-2025 16:33	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Total occupants, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, ]
13-Jan-2025 16:36	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Embed code, Category, ]