During the afternoon of 23rd August 1951 what was called a Wing Drill was held over the Yorkshire skies which involved a number of aircraft from various squadrons. The exercise was to be carried out at altitude where they were to undertake various manoevres. This aircraft was one of four from 92 Squadron that took part in the exercise and was ready for take off at around 15.05hrs. A ten minute delay then occurred. This aircraft then eventually took off from Linton on Ouse airfield at around 15.15hrs. With other aircraft it climbed up to 32,000 feet but this took some time and around half an hour after taking off the exercise begun. This took them up to 34,000 feet. During the course of the exercise this pilot twice transmitted that he believed that he was suffering the effects of annoxia. Around the same time one of the aircraft got out of position during various maneuvers. The Meteor then descended out of control at high speed and a sound similar to thunder was heard in the area, this was almost certainly a sonic boom created by the speed this aircraft travelled. The complete tail of the aircraft broke off at around 3,000 feet over Skipsea and landed in a cornfield just west of the village. A crash occurred of the main part of the aircraft a short time later at 16.15hrs around three miles to the south west and in a field between Moor Cottage and Moor Grange, Warley Cross. It crashed completely flat with no forward movement which would have killed the pilot on impact. The impact then caused the ejection seat to fire which then ejected both the pilot and the seat through the canopy and therefore he escaped a fire that then destroyed the front part of the aircraft. Unfortunately the fire destroyed the oxygen system so an investigation was unable to confirm beyond doubt the pilot had indeed passed out through lack of oxygen. It was however felt highly likely that the pilot had switched his oxygen on as he entered the cockpit but when he learned of the delay he may have switched it off but then forgot to switch it back on again prior to taking off. Being a fit young man his body would have been able to cope for thirty minutes over 18,000 feet but after that time he would have finally become unconsious.
Pilot - Sgt Stanley John Albert Stewart RAF (3039843). Aged 23. Buried Newton on Ouse Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Stanley Stewart was buried locally to where he was based at Linton on Ouse.