Halifax R9373 at Riccall airfield.
At 14.50hrs on 4th February 1943 this aircraft was being flown on a training flight with 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit but landed at Riccall airfield at 15.00hrs with the undercarriage retracted by mistake. The pilot, bomb aimer and flight engineer had their logbooks endorsed with either damaged an aircraft by neglect or failing to carry out correct cockpit drill. The aircraft was badly damaged but those on board are believed to have escaped injury.
Pilot - Sgt Robert Thomas Hall RAFVR (1272433).
Bomb Aimer - Name unknown.
Flight Engineer - Name unknown.
Halifax R9373 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was awaiting collection on 20th November 1941. It was initially taken on charge by 10 Squadron at Leeming on 25th November 1941 but was soon transferred to 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George before the end of the year, where it was coded "MP-W". It received a provisional Cat/Ac/FA damage assessment on 4th Janaury 1942 that saw it repaired on site and returned to 76 Squadron on 15th January 1942. In all it would complete three operational flights (18/12/41, 11/2/42 and 13/2/42) with them. On 27th February 1942 it was transferred to 78 Squadron at Croft, who used it twice on operational flights (30/5/42 and 2/6/42). On 7th June 1942 it was transferred to 158 Conversion Flight at East Moor where it was coded "NP-W" but was found to be faulty on an acceptance inspection. It was nine days before it was passed as servicable. The aircraft was loaned to the parent 158 Squadron for an operational flight on 25th June 1942 and then again on 31st July 1942. On 25th September 1942 it moved with this unit to Rufforth. On 1st November 1942 158 Conversion Flight was absorbed into 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall (where they referred to the aircraft No.25). As a result of the crash on 4th February 1943 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the initial damage assessment. The repair must soon have been deemed more serious than first thought as on 7th February 1942 it was taken to Handley Page for a repair in works. The damage was then deemed beyond repair on 2nd March 1943 so an assessment of Re.Cat.E damage was recorded. The aircraft was struck off charge on 15th March 1943.