On 31st March 1939 this Shark was being ferried from Abbotsinch airfield to Ternhill airfield, via Thornaby by a pilot of No.1 Ferry Pilot Pool when the weather over the Yorkshire Coast became bad, a force landing was made on the beach at Whitby without incident. It was thought the pilot had followed the coastline which was a common route for aircraft flying up and down the country at the time and would explain the pilot using Thornaby aerodrome as a re-fuelling stop. Later, when the pilot was taxying on Whitby beach for take off, the aeroplane sunk in the sand and tipped up onto it's nose damaging it slightly.
Shark K8482 was built to contract 467000/35 by The Blackburn Aeroplane Co. Ltd and was delivered directly to 'A' Flight at Gosport FAA Station on 16th November 1936. It was later transferred to SNC and then to No.4 A.S.U. for storage. It was operating with No.1 Feryy Pilot Pool when it was damaged at Whitby on 31st March 1939 and Cat.M/FA damage was the assessment. From Whitby it was dismantled on the site and returned to Blackburn's for repair. On completion of repair it was issued to The Admiralty on 24th May 1939 from which there is no further record.
Pilot - Sgt Edward Waite RAF (590565).
Edward Waite was later posted to 29 Squadron, he was pilot of Blenheim L6722 on 31st July 1940 which failed to return from an AI trial over the Bristol Channel following a collision with Blenheim L1408. It was assumed that the aircraft crashed into the sea and his body was not located, he is therefore commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. His wife Elsie Waite lived at Philadelpia, County Durham. He was twenty four years old. The pilot had gained his wings ten months prior to this incident at Whitby and had clocked up 188 hours total flying time. Nothing more is known about him.