DH.60 Gipsy Moth G-AAWR at North Rigton.
On 1st January 1935 heavy fog effected parts of North Yorkshire. Unfortunately the pilot of this aeroplane chose to attempt to fly from Leeming to London so that he could attend an aircraft examination, as he headed south he was due to land at Yeadon and pick up a friend who was also to attend the exam. Prior to reaching Yeadon he flew over the Harrogate area he encountered the fog. With visibility clearly reduced the aeroplane struck a tree and crashed in the orchard of Hall Green Farm, North Rigton. The pilot was slightly injured.
Pilot - Thomas Carver Pick. Injured.
On modern records for this aeroplane it appears registered to Ernest Batchelor, of Leicester on this date but in reality it appears to have been with Yorkshire Aviation Services Ltd, Newton House, Leeming (eventually was to become RAF Leeming airfield). The pilot was the an instructor with this company. The aeroplane was badly damaged but it was repaired and re-registered on 18th February 1937. It went on to be impressed for WW2 service. Comparing old mapping with modern aerial photography the area of the farm orchard appears to have been built over with housing in more recent years.