Mustang AL988 at Leeman Road, York.

On the 20th December 1942 a number of Mustangs were to be ferried to another (unknown) airfield. This aircraft took off at 14.00hrs and formated up with the other aircraft, fifteen minutes later the aircraft dropped out of the formation whilst flying very low over Clifton airfield. The Mustang struck a blister hanger, it then failed to gain height and crashed near to the vicarage of St Barnabas's Church on Leeman Road, York, just over the River Ouse from Clifton airfield. The aircraft burnt out but it was thought the pilot may have been pulled from the wrecakge as he is reported to have been greviously injured. He died soon after. One source states that it crashed onto the railway sidings at the Leeman Road side of the river (in the same area as the vicarage). The aircraft had just been repaired after its accident afew weeks earlier, previously detailed on this website. If the aircraft had only been afew yards to the north of where it came down it would have been in open fields, if it were the other way then a more serious crash into a densely populated housing estate along side the London to Edinburgh railway line. It was thought the pilot had taken an opportunity to carry out low flying and misjudged his height.

Pilot - Sgt James W Butterfield RAFVR (1382698), aged 19, of Hampstead. Buried Hampstead, London.