Jet Provost XN547.

On 8th March 1989 the pilot of this Jet Provost was undertaking an aerobatic practice when the aircraft got into an inverted spin over the Malton area, the pilot, having lost control, ejected safely at 5000 feet. The plane came down near Great Habton just missing several farm workers and a nearby road, by the accounts in the newspaper detailing the incident, the pilotless aircraft flew underneath telephone wires before crashing in a field to the west of the village. The pilot had had no training on how to regain control from such a position the aircraft had got into. This is only one of four accidents that I remember happening when I was growing up in the Ryedale area.

Aircraft number two at Habton, the first was a Blenheim that crashed just over half a mile north of this aircraft.

Student Pilot - F/O W K Owen RAF, uninjured.

Having gained Mr Easterby's permission to look for the site, air historians Ken Reast, Albert Prichard, Dick Barton and myself located the site in December 2006. Small fragments are still to be found in a field to the west of the village. Please note the field where this aircraft is private and access is not normally allowed, we thank Mr Easterby for allowing us to visit the site.