Halifax LL230 at Croft airfield.
During the night of 23rd / 24th January 1944 this 431 Squadron aircraft was flown on a cross country training flight. With the exercise complete the crew returned to make an approach to land at Croft at 01.28hrs following the 4.15 hour long flight. The pilot was expecting a stronger wind than there actually was by the time they made the approach to land and he made a faster approach than was actually needed. The aircraft levelled out just above the runway, floated and then stalled which caused the aircraft to then drop onto the runway. The heavy landing caused the starboard main tyre to burst. The aircraft then ground-looped and the aircraft came to rest with the starboard undercarriage leg collapsed. This incident is purely listed in the Croft station orb as "another prang to be pulled off the drome, does it ever end".
Pilot - F/Sgt John Kenneth Gustafson RCAF (R/132529).
Navigator - F/O William Earl MacDonald RCAF (J/22190).
Air Bomber - Sgt Richard John Stone RAFVR (657799).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Edward Gardner RCAF (R/172207).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Cecil Howard McBrien RCAF (R/61210).
Air Gunner - Sgt William Alonzo Youngs RCAF (R/193650).
Air Gunner - Sgt George Mason RAF (612121).