Halifax LV911 at Skipton on Swale airfield.
On the night of 25th / 26th July 1944 this 433 Squadron aircraft was to have been flown on an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart but when taking off at Skipton on Swale airfield at 21.16hrs the aircraft first began to swing to starboard. The pilot managed to correct this swing but before becoming airborne it then swung to port. The pilot lost control and the aircraft left the runway, it ran onto rough ground and ground looped causing the undercarriage to collapse. It came to rest fifty yards from the bomb dump. A fire developed but all on board escaped injury. Unfortunately the fire spread and fire crews abandoned the task of putting it out, it later exploded with the area cleared but two crash tenders that were abandoned were destroyed. The pilot already had thirty four operational sorties under his belt when this incident occurred, with operational fatigue being the primary cause for this incident. He was subsequently awarded a DFC for service with 433 Squadron, Gazetted on 3rd October 1944.
Pilot - P/O William Henry Wright RCAF (J/86486).
Crew - Names unconfirmed.