On 22nd February 1953 the pilot of this 613 Squadron aircraft was flying as part of a formation, he flew as number two to the formation leader and all the formation climbed to 25,000 feet. This aircraft was later seen to lag behind the other aircraft and be flying a thousand feet below his leader. The formation then made a 180' turn to port but this aircraft did not follow the formation and was lost to the other pilots. At 11.42hrs the aircraft was seen to a near vertical dive descending at high speed. It crashed into woodland near Markington killing the pilot instantly. Given the facts prior to the crash it was assumed the pilot had suffered from anoxia and had passed out well before impact with the ground. The aircraft reached such a high speed in the dive that it passed through the sound barrier, causing a sonic boom in the area.
Pilot - Sgt Arthur Rodgers RAF(Aux) (2688634), aged 29. Cremated Manchester Southern Cemetery.
I was contacted by Arthur Rodgers' son back in 2005 when this website was in its infancy and began some research into this incident to try and help him learn more about why his father lost his life. He was born in Oldham on 14th January 1924.
I visited the site in June 2005. The large crater was filled with fallen timber, possibly put there after the crash to fill in the crater.
A small piece of the aircraft's engine.