Date:	Monday 23 April 1945
Time:	16:59 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk III
Owner/operator:	514 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	ME523
MSN:	PT-W
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	2 miles SW of RAF Topcliffe, North Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Waterbeach, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:	RAF Topcliffe, North Yorkshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk III ME523/PT-W of 514 Squadron RAF was written off (damaged beyond repair) on the afternoon of 23 April 1945 when the aircraft force landed in a field two miles south west of RAF Topcliffe, North Yorkshire

During the afternoon of the 23rd April 1945 the crew of this 514 Squadron RAF aircraft were undertaking a cross country NAVEX (navigation exercise) training flight. The time the aircraft took off from their base at Waterbeach is not yet known nor are the exact details of what happened prior to the aircraft being forced landed. While over Yorkshire the pilot experienced partial loss of control while flying through severe turbulent weather. The aircraft's trim had been set incorrectly resulting in it making an uncontrollable turn to starboard.

A belly landing was made in a field around two miles south west of Topcliffe airfield at 16.59hrs and the aircraft was badly damaged. (It is assumed that the pilot of Lancaster ME523 was attempting to make an immediate landing at RAF Topcliffe due to the aircraft becoming difficult to control). A fire developed around the area of the port inner engine on impact which spread to the aircraft.

Only the pilot's name is confirmed, three others were on board and the crew listed below were his regular crew who flew operationally with him around this date, presumably some were with him during this forced landing near Topcliffe.

Crew of Lancaster ME523:
Pilot - Flying/Officer W M Wiseman RCAF (J/37983)*
Navigator - Flying Officer D C MacGorman RCAF (J/40830)*
Bomb Aimer - Flying Officer G V Dewitt RCAF (J/40517)*
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner - Sergeant C E Steele RAF*
Air Gunner - Sergeant W King RAF*
Air Gunner - F/Sgt S Folino RCAF (R/268399)*
Flight Engineer - Sgt G W Sumner RAF*

*Presumed - but unconfirmed - that three of the above six aircrew were on board at the time of this incident (see above)

Breif history of Lancaster ME523
Built by A V Roe & Co Ltd to contract Acft/2010
01-03-1945: Delivered to the RAF at 32 MU RAF St. Athan, South Glamorgan and taken on charge
17-03-1945: Issued to 514 Squadron RAF at RAF Waterbeach, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire as 'PT-W'
23-04-1945: Sustained Cat. A(c) FA (Flying accident) when force landed 2 miles SW of RAF Topcliffe, North Yorkshire as per the above
04-05-1945: Re-Cat FACE (Flying Accident Cat.E). Deemed damaged beyond economic repair and struck off charge

1. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
2. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york45/me523.html
3. 514 Squadron Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 30 April 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1979/7 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8413867
4. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/ME488-ME551/mobile/index.html
5. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/April/prt3/3.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._514_Squadron_RAF#History
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Waterbeach
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Topcliffe#Second_World_War

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Jan-2025 22:14	Dr. John Smith	Added