Date:	Sunday 13 May 1945
Time:	16:10 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk III
Owner/operator:	1668 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit), RAF
Registration:	LM724
MSN:	BL-M
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire
Destination airport:	RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk III LM724/BL-M, 1668 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit), RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire. Written off (damaged beyond repair) due to undercarriage collapse on landing at RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire

During the afternoon of 13th May 1945 this 1668 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit), RAF aircraft was flown on a basic circuits and landings training exercise at their home airfield of RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire. During one of the take offs on a poor runway surface and in a cross wind, the main port tyre burst but the pilot was able to get the aircraft into the air safely. The crew were later diverted to the wide and long emergency landing airfield at Carnaby and landed at 16.10hrs. Unfortunately, the pilot could not prevent the aircraft from swinging and eventually the undercarriage collapsed. The damage was initially assessed as being Cat. B/FA but was later re-assessed as Re-Cat. E on 25th May 1945 and it was struck off charge.

Pilot - Flying Officer John Beaumont Allen RAFVR (145076) - plus four other crew members, names not yet known.

Brief History of Lancaster LM724
Built by A V Roe & Co to Contract Acft/2010
02-09-1944: Taken in charge by the RAF when delivered to 514 Squadron at RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire
18-10-1944: Cat.B (FA) damage in operational service. ROS (Repaired On Site) by a crew from 58 MU
22-11-1944: Repaired complete, returned to service with 514 Sqaudron, RAF
23-04-1945: Transferred to 1661 HCU, RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire (possibly cancelled)
24-04-1945: Delivered to 1668 HCU. RAF Bottesiford, Leicestershire as 'BL-M'
13-05-1945: Cat.B(FA) damage in an incident at RAF Carnaby, near Bridlington, East Yorkshire as per the above
25-05-1945: Re-Cat E (FACE - Flying Accident Cat.E) as damaged beyonmd 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/yorkp45/lm724.html
3. 1668 Heavy Conversion Unit RCAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 31 May 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/614/4 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7160918
4. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/LM658_LM756/mobile/index.html
5. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/May/1.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conversion_units_of_the_Royal_Air_Force
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Bottesford#RAF_Bomber_Command_use
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Carnaby#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Jan-2025 23:25	Dr. John Smith	Added
22-Jan-2025 23:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, ]
23-Jan-2025 19:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]