In the days prior to the crash on 12th October 1943 four of 349 Squadron aircraft and pilots were sent on detachment to Hutton Cranswick so that they could carry out air firing training on the ranges off the Bridlington coast. The attachment was to undergo a training course ran by 1489 Flight, based at Hutton Cranswick. The visibility around this time looks to have been poor but in the afternoon of 12th October 1943 the pilot of Spitfire AD292 was flying off the Yorkshire coast, probably undertaking an air firing exercise, so presumably the visibility had improved enough to begin the training. During his flight off Bridlington the visibility reduced so the pilot headed towards land, probably to return to Hutton Cranswick airfield. In the poor visibility he flew across the coastline at Bridlington at a low height and into trees (and possibly houses) along Bessingby Road in Bridlington and crashed at 15.25hrs. The pilot was killed in the crash in the region of where Bridlington School and Bridlington Hospital are now located. This aircraft was a presentation aircraft and carried the name "The Cannock Chaser".

Pilot - F/O Albrecht Richard Theophiel August Van Hecke RAFVR (135895). Belgian national. Initially buried at Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey. Now buried Brussels Communal Cemetery. Belgium.