On 31st March 1939 the Shark was being ferried from Abbotsinch airfield to Ternhill airfield, via Thornaby when the weather over the Yorkshire Coast became bad, a force landing was made on the beach at Whitby without incident. It was thought the pilot had followed the coastline which was a common route for aircraft flying up and down the country at the time and would explain the pilot using Thornaby airfield as a re-fuelling stop. Whilst the pilot was taxying on Whitby beach for take off later the aircraft sunk in the sand and the aircraft tipped up onto it's nose damaging it slightly.
Shark K8482 was built to contract 467000/35 by The Blackburn Aeroplane Co. Ltd and delivered directly to 'A' Flight at Gosport FAA Station on 16th November 1936. It was later transferred to SNC then 4 ASU for storage. It was operating with 1 FPP when damaged as Cat.M/FA in the above detailed incident and from Whitby it was dismantled on the site and returned to Blackburn's for repair. On completion of repair it was issued to The Admiralty on 24th May 1939 from which there is no further record.
Pilot - Sgt Edward Waite RAF (590565).
Sgt Waite was later posted to 29 Squadron, he was pilot of a Blenheim on 31st July 1940 which failed to return to base. It was assumed that the aircraft crashed into the sea and his body was not recovered, he is commemerated on the Runnymede Memorial. His wife Elsie Waite lived at Philadelpia, County Durham. He was twenty four years old. The pilot had gained his wings ten months prior to this incident at Whitby and had clocked up 188 hours total flying time. Nothing more is known about him.