On 16th September 1948 this aircraft suffered from the starboard engine failing just after take-off from Thornaby airfield.
The pilot, flying solo, incorrectly feathered the port engine but before he could correct the error height was lost and he
made a forced belly-landing near the Yarm to Acklam road in a field but the aircraft was badly damaged.
Pilot - "F/O R Williams DFC RAF".
The pilot was possibly one Eric Ralph Williams RAF (153949) though his rank listed above is incorrect and his first initial is not given.
Eric Ralph Williams received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency)
29th October 1943 rising to F/O (war subs) on 29th April 1944. On 29th October 1945 he was promoted to F/Lt (war subs).
For his flying in the War and service with 88 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 20th July 1945. Although no date has been found
he must have been placed on the reserve list in 1946 as he was recalled to the RAFVR active list on 18th February 1947 resuming the rank of F/Lt. This was made a substantive rank of F/Lt on 1st November 1947 with seniority of 12th June 1947. He was awarded a permanent commission of F/Lt on 8th December 1948. He retired from the RAF on 31st May 1958 as F/Lt.
Mosquito VA876 was built to contract ACFT/1576 by D.H. at Leavesden and delivered to the RAF in July 1946. After acceptance it
was issued to 608 Squadron at Thornaby on an unknown date. According to records 608 Squadron ceased operating Mosquito's in August 1948, converting to Spitfires the same month. This aircraft must have been a left over aircraft and was possibly on it's way out to an OTU,
possibly 13 OTU at Middleton St George. It sustained Cat.E2/FA damage in the incident near Yarm detailed above.