Wellington LN737 near Croft airfield.
On the night of 11th / 12th April 1944 the crew of this 21 Operational Training Unit aircraft were undertaking a training flight, during the flight and while roughly off the North East coast the port engine failed. The crew put out a radio signal requesting help to direct them to an airfield which was received by Middleton St.George airfield. At 00.05hrs Middleton St.George airfield informed nearby Croft airfield that an the aircraft was in destress and was crossing the coast and that they were receiving search light aid to locate Middleton St.George. The crew of the Wellington managed to locate Middleton St.George but while in the their circuit preparing to land a red verey flare was fired from the ground signalling they could not land. They then successfully made an overshoot of Middleton St.George and made an approach to land on Croft's North-South runway. Croft gave them a green signal to land and the aircraft went in to land at 00.33hrs, unfortunately the brakes did not work, it ran the full length of the runway and off the end, through the boundary fence and struck a tree stump. The aircraft then burst in to flames but the crew got out without serious injury.
Pilot - Sgt L E Smith RAF.
Crew - Names unknown.