Botha L6257 at Church Fenton airfield.
On 16th May 1941 this aircraft had just been completed to contract 563935/36 was being air tested by the manufacturer Blackburn's prior to delivery to the RAF.
When the aircraft was preparing to land at Church Fenton airfield the undercarriage would not lock down properly so the pilot belly landed on the airfield. The
aircraft was probably recovered back to Brough by Blackburn's.
Pilot - F/Lt William Alexander Coote Emmett (39723).
Someone with the same name and initials worked as a pilot for the British European Airways (BEA) post-war and he may well be the same person.
William Emmett was almost certainly born in Camberwell, London in 1916. He begun his RAF training in the mid 1930's. He was granted a short
service commission in May 1937 to the rank of P/O and promoted to F/O on 15th October 1939. Emmett joined 25 Squadron in January 1938 and had flown
Demons, Gladiators and Blenheims with this unit and served with them during the Battle of Britain being promoted to F/Lt on 15th October 1940. He
rose to temporary S/Ldr on 1st March 1942 and would survive the War. In his post-war service he was made temporary F/Lt in November 1945 and permanent
F/Lt in June 1949 but back dated to March 1946. He was then promoted to S/Ldr in July 1951. S/Ldr Emmett retired from service on 30th April 1958 and
had flown with 15 Squadron for some period of time in the post-war period.
Botha L6257 was built by Blackburn Aircraft Ltd to contract 563935/36 and was first issued to 33 MU on 11th September 1940. The aircraft's AM Form 78 misses out the incident in May 1941 but states that on 11th June 1941 it was with Blackburn SAS (service section). On 9th August 1941 it went to 33 MU, then to "Townsend SLG" on 10th September 1941, back to 33 MU on 1st November 1941 and to 12 MU on 26th March 1942. It was then struck off charge on 30th Septenber 1944.