Halifax LK786 at Marston Moor airfield.
On the night of 9th / 10th March 1945 this 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was being used on a training flight when the undercarriage partly failed on landing at Marston Moor airfield. The aircraft came to rest by the side of the active runway with a burst tyre. Just after midnight at least two members of ground crew were trying to change the wheel so that the aircraft could be moved clear when, at 00.52hrs Halifax NR282 began to take off. Unfortunately the port inner engine and then the starboard outer engine both coughed and cut out. NR282 developed a swung and this was not brought under control, it was still travelling at around 100mph when it crashed into Halifax LK786. Unfortunately two members of ground crew working on LK786 were killed and both aircraft were destroyed by fire that then developed. One member of the the crew of NR282 received second degree burns to his hands after he forgot to bring his gloves to the aircraft prior to the flight beginning.
FME - AC1 Donald McMillan RAFVR (1269034), aged 36, of Campbeltown. Buried Kilkerran Cemetery, Campbeltown, Argyll.
FMA - LAC Leslie John Cook RAFVR (1541354), aged 22, of Bradford. Buried Bowling Cemetery, Bradford, Yorkshire (2/101).
No crew.