Date:	Thursday 12 February 1953
Time:	day
Type:	Bristol Beaufighter TT Mk 10
Owner/operator:	3 CAACU RAF
Registration:	RD849
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Pennywell Farm nr Dean Prior, Buckfastleigh, South Hams, Devon England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Banner and glider towing
Departure airport:	RAF Exeter, Devon
Destination airport:	RAF Exeter (EXT/EGTE)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Beaufighter RD849 (Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation Unit): Written off (damaged beyond repair) 12/2/1953 in a flying accident while on a banner towing sorite from RAF Exeter, Devon. The port propellor failed to feather when the constant-speed unit was tested in flight. The port engine began to overspeed, and cause considerable drag.
The aircraft could not fly above critical airspeed in level flight in this condition, and was in danger of stalling, so the pilot decided to make a forced landing in a field at Pennywell Farm, near Dean Prior, Buckfastleigh, South Hams, Devon. Both crew (pilot and target winch operator) were uninjured.

The reported crash location of Dean Prior is a village and civil parish near the A38 road, in the South Hams district, in the county of Devon, England. It is located near the town of Buckfastleigh and north of South Brent.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.141 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 Colin Cummings p 339
3. Beaufighter By Simon W. Parry
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Prior

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Apr-2021 16:53	Dr. John Smith	Added
13-Apr-2021 17:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
13-Apr-2021 18:33	Harro	Updated [Operator, Operator]
14-Apr-2021 22:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Nature, Narrative]
14-Apr-2021 22:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
18-Jun-2022 20:48	Nepa	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Operator]