On 5th February 1938 this aircraft crashed near Tall Trees Farm, Yarm, near the Yarm to Worsall Road
after the engine cut out on approach to land at Thornaby airfield. The pilot was reportedly showing
off to his girlfriend by low flying, he tried to fly between two trees and hit them and lost a part of his wings.
Pilot - F/O Keith Pyman RAF AAF (90299). Of Yarm. Injured.
Keith Pyman received his commission to the rank of P/O on an unknown date but before 1932. He received promotions to F/O on 27th September 1932 and F/Lt on 1st December 1936. He crashed Wapiti K1154 at Thornaby on 22nd February 1936. As F/Lt he relinquished his commission on 2nd March 1940 due to being medically unfit for service. The assumption that this was the result of being injured in the flying accident detailed above.
Keith Pyman was also a civilian pilot in the late 1920's and early 1930's; on 23rd October 1930 DH60 Gipsy Moth G-ABFT was registered to him and the certificate of airworthiness issued a week later. The aircraft was used at Dunsley aerodrome near Whitby, North Yorkshire. He kept the aircraft until 31st July 1939 when it was registered to the Hartlepool and Teesside Flying Club at West Hartlepool.
Demon K3771 was built to contract 246267/33 by Hawker at Kingston and was delivered to Fighting Area on
27th May 1934. It was allocated to 41 Squadron at Aden on 10th October 1935 but returned to UK to 1 ASU on
11th November 1936. It was then issued to 608 Squadron on 6th January 1937. Cat.W/FA damage was recorded
following the crash detailed above and the aircraft was struck off charge on 1st March 1938.