Meteor WA922 near Coxwold.

On 9th September 1952 this aircraft was part of a formation of six aircraft which entered cloud, the formation came out of cloud at 13000 feet but this aircraft did not emerge and contact with the pilot was lost. The aircraft was seen to dive into the ground at a steep angle and crash near Fox Foot Farm, Cozwold killing the pilot. Wreckage was spread over a wide area with an engine ending up in a deep ditch and not far from the nearby railway line. Low cloud and heavy rain was reported in the area at the time. Helmsley Fire Brigade were called to attend this incident, whilst their tender was leaving the town, the trailer pump detached itself from the engine and crashed through the bridge parapet over the River Rye. The probable cause of the Meteor crashing was put at the pilot loosing control of the aircraft whilst flying in cloud using his instruments. The aircraft took off from Linton on Ouse at 09.45hrs and crashed only five minutes later. I believe this aircraft crashed just outside of what is now the North Yorkshire Moors National Park boundary so I include it in this section rather than in the Moorland section.

Pilot - P/O Colin Petty RAF (578727), aged 26, of Sculcoates, Yorkshire. Buried Newton on Ouse Churchyard, Yorkshire (grave LGA, 11).

Colin Petty was born in Sculcoates, near Hull on 12th January 1926 and was married with two daughters when he sadly died. On 22nd February 1954 he was appointed to a permanent commission in the RAF to the rank of P/O with his period of service to count from 15th September 1950.