Halifax DT584 at Wombleton airfield.
During a circuits and landings training exercise and shortly after midnight on 14th August 1944 this 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit Halifax swung on landing at Wombleton airfield, the pilot then over-corrected this swing and the aircraft went into a swing in the other direction resulting in a ground-loop. Both undercarriage legs then collapsed and it came to rest thirty feet off the main runway with the nose, tail and wing damaged and with the starboard wing torn off the mountings. One member of the crew received slight injuries. All other 1666 H.C.U. aircraft in the air at the time also undertaking training flights had to be diverted to land at either Topcliffe or Dishforth because the location of where it came to rest was deemd to be a hazard for others landing.
Pilot - P/O William A Egan RCAF (J/87495).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Joseph Harold Hands RAFVR (1488684).
Navigator - F/O A S Eator RCAF (J/37527).
Wireless Operator - WO2 J A Ferguson RCAF (R/170558).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt H I Foley RCAF (R/188872).
Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt A R Hawkins RCAF (R/200629).
Rear Gunner - Sgt N J Cross RCAF (R/220561).
This crew completed their conversion training and were posted to 426 Squadron in mid-September 1944. On 9th October 1944 they encountered a Fw190 on Ops and after returning fire they landed and later claimed it as damaged. All appear to have survived the War.
Halifax DT584 was built to contract B982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was delivered as new to 77 Squadron at Elvington on 7th November 1942. The following day it transferred to 51 Squadron at Snaith when the unit converted from Whitley MkV's where it carried the code "MH-J". As a result of the crash ond 3rd January 1943 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the initial damage but this was upgraded to Re-Cat.B shortly after. On 12th January 1943 it was transported to the Handley Page repair works at Rawcliffe for a repair in works. With this complete it was flown to 8 MU on 30th March 1943 and was placed into store. On 16th August 1943 it was flown to 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit at Dalton and moved with the unit to Wombleton on 5th November 1943. On 10th December 1943 it made a heavy landing at Wombleton and suffered Cat.A(c)/FA damage which was repaired on site. It was written off at Wombleton on 14th August 1944 when it swung on landing at Wombleton whilst on circuit training. It ground looped, taking off the undercarriage. Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on the same date. Halifax DT584 carried the unit code "-J" at the time of this mishap.