Halifax BB251 at Croft airfield.
On the night of 21st / 22nd December 1943 Halifax BB251 of 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was being flown on a night cross country training flight. The weather was poor and on this night a collision on the ground at Topcliffe at 21.00hrs appears to have blocked the runway and close the airfield for other returning aircraft. A radio signal was sent to the crew of Halifax BB251 ordering them to divert to land at Croft and a very faint response was received. The crew then made no attempt to make radio contact with Croft prior to attempting a landing. Personnel on the ground at Croft attempted to signal to the crew with lights and an Aldis lamp but the aircraft missed the runway while landing in heavy rain at 23.13hrs. It then struck Halifax LK991 of 431 Squadron which was on a dispersal point.
Pilot - T/Sgt Edward Lane Howland USAAF (10681542).
Edward Howland was posted to 429 Squadron on 28th December 1943. He was made a PoW following flying with them on 22nd / 23rd April 1944 when Halifax LV963 crashed in Germany. He baled out and became a PoW. He died in 2003.