During the morning of 20th December 1942 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft were undertaking a circuit training exercise which included practicing flying on two engines and flying on three engines. They took off from Elvington at 09.59hrs. While flying at around 8000 feet the aircraft was seen to go into a spin and continued to loose height until it was around 500 feet of the ground when the aircraft broke up in the air. Wreckage fell around a mile south east of Wheldrake village at 10:30hrs and all on board subsequently died. This accident was believed to have been caused by the known "rudder overbalance" fault with the Halifax in that the rudder locked, a stall occurred from which a crash was then inevitable. The design of the Halifax rudder cost many lives before it was re-designed. This was the first 77 Squadron loss since rejoining Bomber Command from their time with Coastal Command. Sgt Spinner died of his injuries later the same day in Fulford Military Hospital, York. Brian Rapier mentioned this incident in his book "Melbourne 10" and stated that the crew were undertaking their first flight with 77 Squadron after being posted in from a conversion unit.
Halifax DT625 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was received by 8 M.U. on 9th November 1942. It was taken on charge by 77 Squadron at Elvington on 12th December 1942. As a result of this incident on 20th December 1942 the aircraft was written off with Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage being the assessment. The aircraft was struck off charge on the same date.
Pilot - F/Sgt Allan Lord RAFVR (1117304), aged 22, of Stretford, Lancashire. Buried Sale Cemetery, Cheshire.
Flight Engineer - F/Sgt Fred Vincent Passant RAFVR (1480175), aged 23, of Leigh. Buried Leigh Cemetery, Lancashire.
Bomb Aimer - P/O Norman Matthews RAFVR (131591), aged 20, of Bournes Green, Essex. Buried Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend on Sea, Essex.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Leonard George Spires RAFVR (1285153), aged 21. Buried Alperton Burial Ground, Wembley, Middlesex.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Henry Spinner RAFVR (1323991), aged 21, of Deal, Kent. Buried Deal Cemetery, Kent. Died of injuries.
Air Gunner - Sgt Francis George Brown RAFVR (1320388), aged 21, of Shirehampton, Bristol. Buried Shirehampton Cemetery, Bristol, Gloucestershire.
Fred Passant's grave in Leigh Cemetery, Lancashire.
Norman Matthews received a commission on 1st August 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency).
Sgt Spinner's older brother George David Spinner was serving in the Royal Navy and was on board HMS Hood on 24th May 1941 when it was attacked by the Bismark and sunk. He too was twenty one years old and his body was either never recovered or was buried at sea. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.