At 01.45hrs on 13th September 1942 this No.15 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit aircraft failed to leave ground level as it was taking off at Acaster Malbis airfield during what would have seen the instructor demonstrate the flying of a night circuit to a pupil pilot. After it left the ground the pilot raised the undercarriage but it then lost what little height it had gained and flew into the ground. It struck the ground just off the end of the runway, possibly overturning. Although the parent airfield was Leconfield this aircraft was using Acaster Malbis airfield to undertake the flight from. The instructor sustained minor injuries and was taken to York Military Hospital for treatment. While in hospital he was interviewed and stated that he had informed the chief flying instructor that he was too tired to fly, he suggested that he may have fallen asleep at the controls. The subsequent investigation made no mention of this and found that the training unit may not have trained thceir instructors in the correct use of instrument flying for their night flying training.

Pilot (Instructor) - P/O Malcolm Thomas Sidney Davis RAFVR (122466). Minor injuries.

Pilot (Pupil) - Sgt Lawrence Leslie Caden RAAF (408570). Uninjured.