On 9th August 1942 the pilot of this 2 (C)OTU aircraft was about to undertake a local flying exercise and as he left the runway at Catfoss airfield one of the aircraft's engines cut out. The aircraft then crashed onto the airfield at 17.30hrs and was slightly damaged. The pilot was not injured. The aircraft was repaired but written off following a crash in June 1943.
Beaufighter EL328 was built to contract B.65570/40 by The Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd. at the Old Mixon shadow factory at Weston-super-Mare. It is listed as being awaiting collection in early August 1942 so must have been taken on charge immediately by 2 (C)OTU at Catfoss. As a result of the damage sustained there on 9th August 1942 minor Cat.A/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft was repaired on site. It remained with 2 (C)OTU until it was badly damaged in a forced landing near Lissett on 28th June 1943 after which Cat.E/FA damage was recorded and it was written off.
Pilot - Sgt N Cresswell RAF (656319).
The pilot had logged a total of 177 hours flying when this accident occurred but only three of these were on the Beaufighter type. He would end the War having been made a PoW before 11th November 1943 when notification of this was printed in Flight Magazine. The circumstances around him being taken prisoner are not yet known.