On 5th October 1943 the crew of this 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Riccall airfield at 14.49hrs to undertake a daytime basic circuits and landings flying exercise which also involved flying the aircraft on three of the four engines. The exercise would simulate the failure of an engine and being able to control the aircraft on three engines. Six minutes after taking off and as the aircraft made an approach to land on three engines at Riccall with the pupil pilot at the controls it began to sink towards the ground faster than would normally have been expected, the instructor took control and attempted to apply power to climb but the aircraft then went in to a steep bank. A wing tip hit and dug into the ground causing control to be immediately lost and it crashed soon after. The events of the crash would normally suggest a much more serious outcome but in this case only the pupil pilot sustained slight injuries. The aircraft however did not fair so well and the damage was later assessed, resulting in it being written off.
(Instructor) Pilot - F/O Harold Adrian Brown DFM RAFVR (126488).
(Pupil) Pilot - Sgt Douglas Milward Pearson RAFVR (1394169). Injured.
Sgt Douglas Pearson would complete his training with 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit and was posted to 102 Squadron. On 26th November 1943 he was flying Halifax JD366 on Ops to Frankfurt when the aircraft crashed in Germany with the loss of the whole of his then crew. Aged 21, he was buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.
The instructor Harold Brown had flown with 35 Squadron in 1942 and was awarded the DFM, Gazetted in May 1942. The citation for his award reads.. "Sergeant Brown has completed many operational sorties. One night in April 1942 as captain of an aircraft, he was detailed to attack the German naval base at Trondheim. Throughout this flight, of 1,350 miles over the North Sea and mountainous country, he displayed the greatest skill and airmanship. Sergeant Brown pressed home his attack, in the face of intense opposition. He displayed bravery and cool determination." He received a commission on 5th May 1942, rising to F/O six month later and F/Lt a further eighteen months after that. Following time instructing with 1658 H.C.U. he was posted to 578 Squadron where he flew a second Tour. For service with 578 Squadron he was awarded the DSO, Gazetted on 2nd January 1945. He remained in the RAF until 1953.
Halifax W7920 was built contract B.73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. It was taken on charge as new by 102 Squadron at Pocklington on 8th November 1942. As a result of the damage sustained on 26th November 1942 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. It was returned to 102 Squadron on 30th December 1942. On 19th February 1943 while on an operational flight to bomb Wilhelmshaven the port inner engine cowling came lose and bent back causing minor damage, the pilot was able to land safely. Cat.Ac/FB damage was the damage assessment, it was repaired on site and was servicable by the end of the month. On 27th March 1943 it sustained flak damage, Cat.A/FB resulted and it was repaired on site at Pocklington. On 21st April 1943 it sustained battle damage on an operational flight to Stettin, Cat.A/FB damage was again the damage assessment and it was repaired on site at Pocklington. On 28th May 1943 it sustained flak damage while on an operational flight to bomb Essen, Cat.A/FB damage was again the damage assessment and it was repaired at Pocklington. On 2nd July 1943 it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage on the ground at Pocklington when a propeller broke off while the engines were being run up. The aircraft was again repaired on site and was returned to 102 Squadron on 5th August 1943. On 23rd September 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. Unfortunately on 5th October 1943 it crashed on landing at Riccall. Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 16th October 1943.
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