Date:	Friday 5 July 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Vickers Wellington Mk X
Owner/operator:	Vickers Aircraft Ltd
Registration:	LN817
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Cuckoo Farm, West Clandon, Ockham, Surrey, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Hatfield Aerodrome, Hertfordshire (EGTH)
Destination airport:	Wisley Airfield, Wisley, Surrey
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Vickers Wellington LN817, Vickers Aircraft Ltd: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 5 July 1946. Aircraft went out of control when propeller pitch suddenly reversed on approach to Wisley, Surrey, and crashed at Cuckoo Farm, West Clandon, Ockham, Surrey. Pilot survived but injured.

According to an account of the incident published in Steve Bond's book (see link #2):

"As late as 1946, the Wellington was still being used for experimental and test/trials work, and on 5 July of that year, Wing Commander Roly Falk (who was later to become famous as the test pilot of the Avro Vulcan) had a narrow escape when coming in to land at Vicker's Wisley aerodrome in Wellington Mk. X LN817, which was being used for testing of experimental De Havilland reversible-pitch propellers.

During his final approach to Wisley, Wing Commander Falk selected reverse pitch of the propellers, which was supposed to take effect within six seconds, but on this occasion, took effect within one and a half seconds. This caused the aircraft to immediately assume a nose down pitch, and the aircraft hit the roof of a farm building at Cuckoo Farm, West Clandon, Ockham, Surrey. The farm building in question has only just been repaired, after being damaged due to the inadvertent release of a 'highball' bouncing bomb shortly beforehand...

Wing Commander Falk was thrown through the cockpit roof and into a hedge, escaping serious injuries. However, he was kept away from flying on medical grounds for a year, during which time he requested a transfer to Avro! The Wellington was, of course a total write-off"

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.46. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Wimpy: A Detailed History of the Vickers Wellington in service, 1938-1953 p 209 By Steve Bond
3. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.177-178
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.101: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/28/W2354: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578200
6. https://www.surreyarchaeology.org.uk/content/cuckoo-farm-west-clandon
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Falk
8. https://www.facebook.com/16160212611/posts/10160023030257612/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Clandon

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Nov-2019 01:43	Dr. John Smith	Added
22-Nov-2019 01:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
28-Jul-2021 23:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Category]
17-Jun-2023 20:01	Nepa	Updated [[Operator, Source, Category]]
18-Jun-2023 20:27	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[Operator, Source, Category]]]