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Date: | Friday 7 November 1952 |
Time: | c. 11:14 LT |
Type: | Gloster Meteor T Mk 7 |
Owner/operator: | 209 AFS RAF |
Registration: | WL433 |
MSN: | G5/423786 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
Other fatalities: | 0 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | Westwood Farm, West Lydford, 2 miles ESE of Baltonsborough, Somerset -
United Kingdom
|
Phase: | En route |
Nature: | Training |
Departure airport: | RAF Weston Zoyland, Bridgwater, Somerset |
Destination airport: | RAF Weston Zoyland, Bridgwater, Somerset |
Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:Gloster Meteor T.Mk.7 WL433, 209 AFS (Advanced Flying School) RAF Weston Zoyland, Bridgwater, Somerset: Notified as awaiting collection 9/9/1952. Delivered to the RAF 11/9/1952. Written off (destroyed) 7/11/1952 when crashed at Westwood Farm, West Lydford, 2 miles East South-East of Baltonsborough, Somerset
The aircraft was being flown on an asymmetric training sortie. The control tower was in radio communication with the aircraft, and, at 11:14am, at his own request, the pilot, Flying Officer Evans, was given a course to return to base. When the aircaft had been airborne for 30 minutes, ATC (Air Traffic Control) called Meteor WL433 on all frequencies, but received no reply.
At an altitude of 1,000 feet, the Meteor entered a spiral dive. Although the spiral dive was corrected, the Meteor entered a high speed stall, dived into the ground, and exploded. Both crew were killed
Crew of Meteor WL433:
Flight Lieutenant (607097) Tony Roland Valen EVANS (QFI Instructor Pilot) RAF- killed in service 7/11/1952, buried at Doverscourt Cemetery, Doverscourt, Essex
Pilot Officer (4074458) Samuel Brace FRANKEL (Pupil Pilot Under Training) RAF - killed in service 7/11/1952, buried at Weston Zoyland Cemetery, Weston Zoyland, Bridgwater, Somerset
The reported crash location is two miles east-south-east of Baltonsborough, a village and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. As well as Baltonsborough village, the parish contains the hamlets of Ham Street, Catsham and Southwood. Note that several published sources mis-identify the crash location as "Baltonsbury" [sic]
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4. p 134)
3. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.294
4. Wings Over Somerset: Aircraft Crashes since the End of World War II By Peter Forrester
5. Western Gazette 14 November 1952
6. 209 AFS ORB (Operational Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/7/1952 to 31/5/1954: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/2148/1 at
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7162862 7.http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WL
8.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltonsborough Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
29-Mar-2021 19:32 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
29-Mar-2021 20:25 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Narrative] |
29-Mar-2021 20:46 |
Opietz |
Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator] |
30-Mar-2021 15:50 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Narrative] |
10-Apr-2021 18:11 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Source] |
11-Apr-2021 15:39 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Source] |