Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire.

Eagle HM506 at Clifton airfield.

On the 3rd May 1942 an Eagle was slightly damaged at Clifton Airfield, when landing the wheels folded. The aircraft was slightly damaged (Cat. A(c) being recorded) and there were no casualties reported.

Pilot - Name unknown, uninjured.

Eagle HM596 was built by British Klemm at Hanworth as Serial Number 127 and registered to them as G-AEGO on 28th April 1936. The Certificate of Airworthiness was issued on 7th May 1936 and it was registered to Reginald Branston on 15th May 1936, based at Cambridge. Ownership changed on 19th July 1938 when it was registered to Ian Ramsay at Hanworth. The C.ofA. expired on 4th July 1939. It was inspected at the Rollason's Works at Hanworth by the Air Ministry on 12th September 1939 and the C. of A. was extended to 18th June 1941. It is very unlikely that the aircraft was flown very much in that time however. The C. of A. was renewed on 19th June 1941 and the aircraft was impressed by the Air Ministry on 6th August 1941 as HM506. The following day, 7th August 1941 it was delivered to 24 Squadron at Hendon. On 4th September 1941 it was issued for personal use of G/Cpt. Frederick Sidney Cotton and was based at Heston. On 25th April 1941 it was re-issued for personal use of Gp/Cpt. F.W. Winterbotham, again at Heston. On 31st January 1941 it was allocated for use by AOC 44 Group. The owner of the aircraft was notified by the Air Ministry of it's impressment on 8th November 1941. The allocation to AOC 44 Group. was cancelled on 13th November 1941 and the aircraft was re-allocated to 41 Group. It was delivered to 5 MU at Kemble on 18th November 1941 where it remained until it's move north to Yorkshire. On 13th March 1942 the aircraft flew from Kemble to Northolt, the following day it flew from Northolt up to Leeming. On 17th March 1942 it arrived at it's new base (recorded as being at Marston Moor, but seems more likely to have been at Clifton, being the closest airfield to Heslington Hall, the location of 4 Group's headquarters) Here is was attached to 4 Group Communications Flight, but a team from Marston Moor fueled the aircraft at Clifton however, the aircraft was taken to Marston Moor for servicing however because Clifton had no facilities for this there. It suffered its mishap at Clifton sustaining Cat.A(c)/FA on 3rd May 1942 when it landed with its undercarriage retracted. It was repaired on site but was then again damaged with Cat.A(c)/GA damage at Marston Moor; the undercarriage collapsed when being pushed into a hangar on 17th June 1942. It was again damaged this time being given Cat.E/FA damage at Marston Moor, when the undercarriage again collapsed, this time on landing on 19th July 1942. It was assessed by 60 MU Shipton by Benningborough and struck off charge as Cat.E1. on 27th July 1942. (They were probably sick of repairing it by now!) with total flying time recorded as 257 hours and 10 minutes.