Date:	Friday 26 July 1946
Time:	14:20
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	CGS RAF
Registration:	SL676
MSN:	CBAF.IX.4703
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Appleton-le-Moors, NW of Pickering, North Yorkshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Leconfield, Beverely, East Yorkshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
This Spitfire collided with Wellington BJ884 whilst taking part in a training exercise on 26th July 1946. The Spitfire is thought not to have dived into the ground after the collision, like the Wellington did but after the impact it limped to the west and crashed killing the pilot. Another Spitfire of 17 SFTS, piloted by Lt Newbold, was also taking part in the exercise; he was able to fly off and was undamaged. At the inquest it was stated that this pilot, F/Lt McAndrew, should have flown at the Wellington head on and then broke away at 250 feet, for some reason he made an error of judgement and the two aircraft collided.

The coroner also gave a verdict of "death by misadventure" on this pilot. The Yorkshire Air Museum has an excellent account of the incident which is located in their Rear Gunners Room.

Spitfire SL676 was built to contract B981687/39 by Vickers Armstrongs Ltd at Castle Bromwich and delivered to Cunliffe Owen for modifications on 3rd August 1945 prior to its delivery to the RAF. It was delivered to 6 MU at Brize Norton on 29th August 1945 before being transferred to CGS at Catfoss on 30th September 1945 and it moved with the unit to Leconfield on 12th November 1945. It was written off as a result of the accident detailed above with Cat.E2/FA damage being recorded and was struck off charge some days later on 8th August 1946.

Crew:
F/Lt (48716) Stanley McAndrew (Pilot) RAF Killed on active service 26-7-46. Buried Stonefall Cemetery, Harrogate, Yorkshire.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.48. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.191
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain. 1985)
4. CGS RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1789: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101499
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.101: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/46-50/sl676.html
7. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2623863/mcandrew,-stanley/
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56462765/stanley-mcandrew
9. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p099.html
10. http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9165118.___I_should_have_been_in_doomed_aircraft___/
11. http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/06226.php
12. http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/air-training-corps-roll-of-honour.52944/page-2#post-620015
13. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90149-sl676
14. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/SL676
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appleton-le-Moors

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Nov-2019 21:44	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Nov-2019 17:15	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Operator]
14-Jun-2023 01:15	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Operator, Operator]]
14-Jun-2023 08:25	Nepa	Updated [[[Operator, Operator]]]
15-Sep-2023 10:52	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[[Operator, Operator]]]]