Date:	Thursday 24 June 1954
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk 8
Owner/operator:	226 OCU RAF
Registration:	VZ470
MSN:	G5/361644
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Stradishall, Suffolk -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Stradishall, Suffolk
Destination airport:	RAF Stradishall, Suffolk
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8 VZ470: Delivered 26/10/50. RAF Service was with 1 Squadron, RAF Tangmere, 63 Squadron, 1 Squadron (a second time), and 226 OCU, RAF Stradishall.

Written off (destroyed) 24/6/54: The pilot - Pilot Officer D.W.T. Turner (Service Number 3513634) - made a final approach to RAF Stradishall, Suffolk, with both engines throttled back, and 15 degrees of flap (in order to simulate an approach in 'flame out' conditions). However, he failed to appreciate that, with a full ventral tank, the aircraft had a higher stalling speed.

As a result the Meteor stalled and undershot at Stradishall on approach, causing the undercarriage to collapse. The Meteor then slid along the undershoot area on its belly, and the central tank burst open and caught fire. The aircraft was destroyed by fire, but the pilot escaped with only minor injuries. Not only did he survive this incident, but he was promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer on 16/10/54 and then to Flight Lieutenant on 15/4/58 (see links #5 & #6)

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.160 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p.84)
3. Category Five; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1954 to 2009 by Colin Cummings p.66
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VZ
5. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40303/supplement/5906/data.pdf
6. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41360/supplement/2365/data.pdf

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Apr-2020 21:10	Dr. John Smith	Added
13-Apr-2020 21:13	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
14-Apr-2020 10:00	Investig	Updated [Operator, Operator]