Date:	Friday 18 May 1945
Time:	10:54
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	1668 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit), RAF
Registration:	HK739
MSN:	J9-K
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire
Destination airport:	RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk. I HK739/J9-K, 1668 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit), RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire. Written off (destroyed) when crashed on 18 May 1945 at RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire.

Swung off the runway at RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire at 10:54hrs on 18 May 1945. The aircraft attempted to takeoff, but failed to become airborne and was wrecked when it crashed through the perimeter fence. All seven crew survived - Pilots Flying Officer G S Sanders and Pilot Officer H H Pickett - along with the five other crew.

Breif History of Lancaster HK739
Built by Vickerds-Armstrong at Hawarden, Chester to Contract Acft/1336
17-12-1944: Delivered to 1669 HCU, RAF
11-02-1945: Cat. A(c) Damaged in operational Service
14-02-1945: ROS (Repaired on Site) by CWP (Contractors Working Party) from A V Roe & Co Ltd., Lincoln
03-03-1945: Repairs completed, returned to service with 1669 HCU RAF
15-03-1945; Transferred to 1668 HCU RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire as 'J9-K'
26-04-1945: Cat. B(FA) damaged in flying accident at RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire
30-04-1945. Repaired and returned to 1668 HCU RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire as 'J9-K'
18-05-1945. Cat E (FA) at RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire as per the above
26-05-1945: Struck off charge as Cart.E(FA)

1. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
2. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft HA100-HZ999
3. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses Volume 8 Page 169.
4. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database.
5. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#may
6. 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
7. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/HK699-HK755/mobile/index.html
8. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/May/1.html
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conversion_units_of_the_Royal_Air_Force
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Bottesford#RAF_Bomber_Command_use

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
24-Feb-2025 03:11	Dr. John Smith	Added