Date:	Sunday 11 July 1971
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk 22
Owner/operator:	Frederick Basil Fairchild
Registration:	G-ARDF
MSN:	C1/0314
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Thruxton Aerodrome, Andover, Hampshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Thruxton Aerodrome, Andover, Hampshire (EGHO)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk 22: Ex-RAF WD375. Delivered 28/3/1951, RAF service with 2 BFTS, 19 RFS and Liverpool UAS (University Air Squadron). Struck off charge 2/5/60 as Cat.5(gi) to 7643M (not taken up). Sold for civilian use 1/7/60 and civil registered as G-ARDF (C of R R6925/1) on 14/7/60 to Derby Aviation Ltd., Burnaston, Derbyshire

Registration cancelled/lapsed upon sale 14/11/60. Sold on and re-registered (C of R R6925/2) on 25/11/60 to Exeter Aero Club Ltd, and Plymouth Aero Club Ltd, Exeter and Plymouth (Roborough) Airports respectively. Registration cancelled/lapsed upon sale 17/3/67 (see link #6 for a photo taken the day before).

Sold on and re-registered (C of R R6925/3) on 20/4/67 to Cedric Malcolm Allwood, Ferndown, Dorset. Registration cancelled/lapsed 21/10/69 upon sale

Sold on and re-registered (C of R 6925/4) on 12/6/70 to Frederick Basil Fairchild, Newbury, Berkshire.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 11/7/71 when struck a car when approaching Thruxton Aerodrome, Andover, Hampshire at low level. The collision impact removed one of the main wheels and buckled the undercarriage leg. A pair of contemporary newspaper reports give further details:

"Birmingham Daily Post - Monday 12 July 1971
SISTERS ESCAPE AS PLANE HITS CAR
Two sisters escaped with cuts yesterday in a collision between their mini car and a low-flying aircraft at Thruxton race circuit near Andover, Hampshire. The girls were driving across a car park when a Chipmunk monoplane swooped low. One of its wheels hit the car, buckling the driver's door and shattering the windscreen.

Judith Hedditch, aged 14, of Park Grove, Stalbridge, Dorset, and her sister, Susan, aged 22, of Silver Street House, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, ran from the car. They were treated for cuts.

The aircraft, with a buckled wheel strut, circled for half-an-hour before the pilot, Mr. John Brown, of Fordingbridge, Hampshire, landed it on one wheel.

The incident happened during Andover's motor carnival staged at the race circuit. A police spokesman said there would be a Board of Trade inquiry."

"Aberdeen Press and Journal - Monday 12 July 1971
SISTERS HURT WHEN PLANE HITS CAR.
Two sisters escaped with cuts yesterday in a collision between their Mini car and a law-flying aircraft at Thruxton race circuit near Andover Hampshire. The girls were driving across a car park when a red two-seater Chipmunk monoplane swooped low. One of its wheels hit the front of the car, buckling the driver's door and shattering the windscreen.

The girls, 14-year-old Judith Hedditch, Stalbridge, Dorset, and her sister, Susan (22), Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, were taken to hospital where they were treated for cuts.

Pilot, Mr John Brown, of Fordingbridge, Hampshire, eventually landed the aircraft on one wheel."

The Chipmunk was not repaired after this incident, and the registration G-ARDF was cancelled on 14/6/72 as "P.W.F.U." ("Permanently Withdrawn From Use")

1. Birmingham Daily Post - Monday 12 July 1971
2. Aberdeen Press and Journal - Monday 12 July 1971
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 25)
4. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ARDF-1.pdf
5. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ARDF-2.pdf
6. Chipmunk G-ARDF at Plymouth 16/3/67: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisengland/8265800249
7. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WD
8. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=16045.0
9. G-ARDF at Exeter 1960: https://www.airlinefan.com/airline-photos/Untitled/De-Havilland-Canada/DHC-1-Chipmunk/G-ARDF/1249956/
10. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1155230

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Mar-2020 23:27	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Mar-2020 23:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
17-Mar-2020 23:40	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]