Whitley Z9292 near Mappleton, Hornsea.

On 18th October 1943 this aircraft took off from Leconfield airfield at 13.55hrs so the crew could undertake an air gunnery training exercise, probably on the air gunnery ranges off the Hornsea part of the Yorkshire coast. During the flight the aircraft suffered port engine failure. The propeller on the failed engine was unable to be feathered. At 15.40hrs the aircraft was force landed on land just inland from Hornsea and near the village of Mappleton. Also on this date Whitley Z9430 made a forced landing in the Beverley area while undertaking the same gunnery training flight with the same 1484 Flight after also suffering port engine failure. These would be its two last serious flying mishaps and also some of the last Whitley mishaps in Yorkshire.

Pilot - W/O James William Jesse Butler RAFVR (1282513).

Warrant Officer Butler was later killed on 12th August 1944 while flying with 30 O.T.U. when Wellington BK562 crashed in Nottingham. He is buried in City of London Cemetery, Manor Park, London and was twenty eight years old.

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