Date:	Wednesday 20 February 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X
Owner/operator:	254 Sqn RAF
Registration:	RD434
MSN:	QM-Z
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Briningham, 10 miles ENE of Fakenham, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Langham, Blakeney, Norfolk
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Beaufighter RD434/QM-Z: (254 Sqn RAF) Destroyed when crashed at Briningham. 20/02/1946
When flying at a low level from RAF Langham, Blakeney, Norfolk, in turbulent air conditions, an engine failed. The pilot lost control of the aircraft in the turbulent air conditions, and the Beaufighter dived into the ground at Briningham, Norfolk. Both crew on board were killed
Crew:
W/O (1040041) Colin Edmond WRIGHT (Pilot, aged 24) RAFVR - killed on active service 20/2/46, buried at Stanwix Cemetery, Carlisle, City of Carlisle, Cumbria, England
W/O (1396882) Walter Charles DUNCOMBE (Nav.) RAFVR - killed on active service 20/2/46, buried at Hither Green Cemetery and Crematorium, Lewisham, London Borough of Lewisham, Greater London, England

The reported crash location of Briningham is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 10 miles east-north-east of the town of Fakenham, 13.3 miles west south west of Cromer, 22.3 miles north north-west of the city of Norwich, at approximate coordinates 52.86825°N 1.02538°E

1. Broken Wings: Post War RAF Accidents by James J Halley (Air Britain, 1999)
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.77
3. ORB 254 Sqn RAF for the period 1-6-1945 to 30-9-1946: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1516/35: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8397472
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.95: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
6. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2695676/colin-edmond-wright/
7. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2429198/walter-charles-duncombe/
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59636168/colin-edmond-wright
9. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/139259075/walter-charles-duncombe
10. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=RD434
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briningham

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

7 April 1945

LZ222

254 Sqn RAF

2

Missing, North sea, position: 53.08N, 01.40E, off Sheringham, Norfolk

w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-May-2021 09:37	Nepa	Added [Operator]
30-May-2021 19:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
23-Jan-2022 22:22	Nepa	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Narrative, Operator]
10-Nov-2022 11:01	Nepa	Updated [Narrative, Category, Operator]
10-Nov-2022 11:03	Nepa	Updated [Source, Narrative, Operator]
10-Nov-2022 11:10	Nepa	Updated [Category, Operator]
16-Nov-2022 11:28	Nepa	Updated [Cn, Operator]
13-Jul-2023 17:12	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Cn, Operator]]