Halifax NA622 at Rufforth airfield.
On the evening of 20th February 1945 this 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was flown on a night circuits and landings training exercise using Rufforth airfield. This was the pilot's first night landing on the type and this first landing was heavy. The crew stopped the aircraft and the flight engineer gave both main undercarriages and also the tail wheel assembly a quick inspection. All appeared ok the crew made a second short flight. At 20.45hrs the aircraft landed for a second time at Rufforth and while this landing was normal the tail wheel assembly then collapsed. The known fault with Halifax tail wheel assemblies was to blame, the first heavy landing had weakened it, which then saw it collapse on the next landing.
Pilot - WO William Whitfield RAAF (16175).