Halifax DT612 damaged at Snaith airfield, further damaged at Riccall airfield.
On 6th April 1943 this aircraft was being flown on a training flight with 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, as the aircraft was about to land at Snaith at 15.00hrs a motor vehicle was driven onto the runway ahead of it and the pilot of the aircraft was not able to pull out of the landing or avoid hitting the vehicle. The aircraft struck it and received damage to the undercarriage. The pilot was able to get fully airborne again and was able to fly to their parent airfield at Riccall where the aircraft was crash landed and sustained damage. The fate of the driver of the vehicle is not yet known. It is likely that the crew of the aircraft were those who flew with the pilot at 158 Squadron after they completed their training.
Halifax DT612 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was flown to 45 M.U. at Kinloss on 21st November 1942. It was taken on charge by 77 Squadron at Elvington on 17th December 1942. The aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall on 19th March 1943. As a result of the crash on 6th April 1943 Cat.B/FA damage was the initial damage assessment but on 14th April 1943 it was re-assessed as Re.Cat.E and was struck off charge having clocked up a total of 67 flying hours.
Pilot - Sgt William Hubert Wyatt RCAF (R/99557).
Driver - Name unknown. Fate unknown.
William Wyatt was born on 24th January 1922, he was the son of Ernest Edward and Clara Lillian (nee McGregor) Wyatt, of London, Ontario, Canada. He was still at college when he enlisted for RCAF service on 10th April 1941 at London, Ontario and after training in Canada was awarded his pilots' flying badge on 17th July 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at 11 (P)AFU and 20 OTU before posting to 1658 HCU on 19th March 1943. He completed his training and was posted to 158 Squadron on 22nd April 1943. He was sadly killed on his seventh operational flight on 27th May 1943 while flying Halifax HR775 which failed to return from Ops to Essen. He and his crew were all killed when the aircraft was shot down and crashed near Nieuw Heeten, Sgt Wyatt was twenty one years old and is buried in Raalte General Cemetery, Netherlands.