Hurricane W9244 near Burn.
On 12th May 1941 this 46 Squadron aircraft was being flown on a local flying exercise when the fuel in one of the tanks was allowed to run dry. The pilot had left switching between the gravity tank to the main fuel tanks too late. The engine cut out so the pilot made a forced landing near Burn with the undercarriage up. The aircraft sustained damage and the pilot received minor injuries.
The squadron records stated that the pilot had "delayed too long in switching from gravity to main (fuel) tanks".
Pilot - Sgt William Edwin Copp RAFVR (919942). Minor injuries.
William "Ted" Copp received a commision in January 1942 and would served in Malta before being repatriated. He was killed on 4th November 1942 in Canada when Harvard FE397 crashed near Jonquiere, Quebec. He is buried in Toronto.
Hurricane W9244 was built to contract 85730/40 by Gloster Aircraft Ltd. at Hucclecote and was awaiting collection in January 1941 but was taken on charge shortly after by 46 Squadron at Church Fenton. On 1st March 1941 it moved with the unit to Sherburn in Elmet. As a result on the incident on 12th May 1941 Cat.B/FA was recorded following assessment and it was taken away for a repair in a factory but the factory not known. On completion of repair it was placed in MU storage. It was then taken on charge 288 Squadron at Digby when the unit formed in November 1941. On 5th December 1942 it moved with that unit to Wellingore but on 10th December 1942 it caught fire in the while on an anti-aircraft co-operation excerise. It dived into the ground near Ashby, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire and was destroyed. Cat.E2/FA damage was recrorded on the paperwork.