During the evening of 30th November 1951 this 203 Advanced Flying School aircraft was due to be flown on a night circuits and landings training exercise. The crew took off from Driffield airfield at 19.15hrs down the runway running north-east to south-west and once airborne it began a turn to the left to begin flying a circuit of the airfield. The aircraft was then allowed to loose height during the turn. It flew into a telegraph pole then the ground near Southburn railway station, bounced back into the air before then hitting the ground again where it began to break up. It passing through a hedge and continued along the ground until it struck the railway station buildings. Owing to it carrying full fuel tanks it then exploded, both instructor and pupil pilots were killed and the aircraft disintergrated. Significant damage was caused to the station buildings and a row of three railway cottages.
Somewhat remarkably serious injuries to any civilians resulted. The resident of the middle of the three railway cottages, Mark Appleyard, was obtaining water from the station waterpump when the force of the blast blew him thirty over a road and a hedge. He sustained minor injuries. His wife was in their cottage and escaped injury. The relief signalman Cyril Hyde had just finished duty and gone home to the end of the three cottages. His home was the most seriously damaged of these three but he, his wife and daughter escaped injury despite extensive damage to the house including the chimney stack collapsing through the roof. The third cottage was also damaged though the only occupant, Miss Elizabeth Thurlow, was not injured. What was probably her brother, Albert Thurlow, was on a bicycle on the road leaving the house when the aircraft exploded and was blown into a ditch. At the station itself, the stationmaster's house was also badly damaged but was empty at the time but the instructor's body was unfortunately located in the sitting room of this house. The three cottages were repaired. The station buildings were also repaired but were eventually totally demolished after the station closed in 1965.
Instructor Pilot - F/Lt Peter Craig Buchanan RAF (181707). Aged 30. Buried Driffield Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Pupil Pilot - P/O John Eversleigh Kendrick RAF (582771). Aged 22. Buried Driffield Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Civilian - Mr Mark Appleyard. Slightly injured.
Peter Buchanan was married and lived in Sewerby, Bridlington with his wife. John Kendrick was from West Jesmond, Newcastle.