Blenheim L6731 at Church Fenton airfield.
On 22nd February 1941 this 54 OTU aircraft was being flown on a local flying training night exercise with at least one other Blenheim doing the same exercise at the same time. At 02.00hrs the other aircraft requested to land at Church Fenton and was given the signal to land. He did not acknowledge the signal. A short time later the pilot of Blenheim L6731 also requested permission to land and having had no reply from the pilot of K7083 the controller assumed that he was not landing so gave the pilot of L6731 permission to land. As both aircraft then began to make an approach to land at the same time on the same runway and realising that a collision was about to happen the ground controller tried to signal to the higher aircraft, Blenheim K7083 to abort the landing but the Blenheim sank onto the top of Blenheim L6731. This aircraft was above and slightly behind Blenheim L6731 so that K7083 was effectively in the blind spot of the pilot of L6731. The collision forced L6731 down on to the runway and it slide to a halt. K7083 also crashed and the fuselage broke behind the rear turret. Unfortunately the nose part of this aircraft then bounced into the air and crashed nosedown onto the runway and then slide to a halt. Both Blenheims caught fire, the pilot of L6731 was able to make his own escape but the pilot of K7083 was sadly killed.
Pilot - Sgt G W Martin. Slightly injured.
Blenheim L6731 was built to contract 588371/36 by A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd. at Chadderton and was awaiting collection in June 1939. After a lengthy
period of MU storage it was taken on charge by 92 Squadron on 10th October 1939 at Tangmere when the unit reformed after a twenty year absence from
the RAF. The aircraft moved with the unit to Croyden on 30th December 1939. In March 1940 92 Squadron began conversion to Spitfire MkI's and L6731
was transferred to the newly formed 5 OTU as Aston Down on 15th March 1940, on 1st November 1940 this unit was re-designated 55 OTU and was to
be equiped with Hurricanes, all their Blenheims were to be transferred to 54 OTU. On 25th November 1940 it was taken on charge by the newly formed
54 OTU at Church Fenton. As a result of the accident recorded above Cat.E2/FA(Burnt) damage was recorded. The aircraft was struck off charge on 6th March 1941.