The Spitfire hit the above Welllington whilst taking part in a training exercise in July 1946. The Spitfire I am told did not dive straight in after the impact but I gather that it limped to the west and crashed nearby (some sources quote Gillamoor, though almost certainly an error) killing the pilot. Another Spitfire of SFTS, piloted by Lt Newbold, was also taking part in the exercise; he was able to fly off and was undamaged. At the inquest, F/Lt McAndrew should have flown at the Wellington head on and then broke away at 250 feet, for some reason he made an error of judgement and the two aircrafts collided. The coroner also gave a verdict of "death by misadventure" to this pilot. The Yorkshire Air Museum has an excellent account of the incident which is located in their Rear Gunners Room.

Spitfire SL676 was built to contract B981687/39 by Vickers Armstrongs Ltd at Castle Bromwich and delivered to Cunliffe Owen for modifications on 3rd August 1945 prior to its delivery to the RAF. It was delivered to 6 MU at Brize Norton on 29th August 1945 before being transferred to CGS at Catfoss on 30th September 1945 and it moved with the unit to Leconfield on 12th November 1945. It was written off as a result of the accident detailed above with Cat E2/FA damage being sustained and was struck off charge some days later on 8th August 1946.

Pilot - F/Lt Stanley McAndrew RAF (48716), aged 26, of London. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

The pilot's headstone. He was made (emergency) P/O on Probation from F/Sgt on 23rd January 1942 then to F/O on probation on 1st October 1942. He then rose to F/Lt (War Subs) on 23rd January 1944. He remained in the RAF after the War and at the time of his death F/Lt McAndrew had over 1000 hrs experience as a pilot when he was killed, 450 of which were on the Spitfire.