Provost T.1 WV664 near Millington.

During the morning of 19th January 1960 this No.1 Flying Training School aircraft was due to be flown on two short flights. Prior to taking off the pilot was briefed to fly the two solo general handling exercises, to carry out stalling practice, spinning, making steep turns aerobatics, making forced landings with the power reduced and then to undertake a circuits and landings aspect to the flights. The pilot was briefed to take off for the first 45 minute flight at 09.00hrs and to land at either Rufforth or Linton on Ouse. He was then due to take off for the second 45 minute flight at 10.00hrs after refuelling. He was also instructed to avoid flying in cloud. At that time the weather conditions were deemed as being acceptable for the flight to go ahead but the officer authorising the flight knew that the pilot's flying experience and ability were on the low-average side with no instrument flying rating. The low flying area that was to be used was the area of the Vale of Pickering and the Howardian Hills where there were clear patches of sky. While the accident documentation does not state so, there is an inference to be made that the weather conditions outside of the low flying area were not as favourable (where there must have been areas of un-clear skies).

Take off from Linton on Ouse airfield for the first flight was made at 09.10hrs and there was then nothing to suggest that the pilot had done anything other than undertake flying according to his briefing. The weather may have then deteriorated locally however and the pilot inadvertantly flew the aircraft south, outside the area of the where the flight was due to be made. The cloud cover probably caused him to become disorientated and then lost. A map in the accident records puts him as flying as far south as the Market Weighton area before heading back north, this took him over the Yorkshire Wolds. He probably thought he was nearer Linton on Ouse and not over the higher ground of the Yorkshire Wolds. The aircraft was heard to circle in cloud in the general area of Millington and then descend through the cloud to attempt to locate his position. Had he known that he was over high ground he would almost certainly not have deliberately done this. The cloud base was down to almost ground level where it then appeared below cloud at roughly a 45 degree angle. At 09.46hrs it flew into a snow covered field a couple of miles north of Millington. The engine of the aircraft was deliberately throttled back just before it hit the ground so the eventual impact speed was relatively low but despite this, the aircraft was extensively damaged and the pilot was killed. Having snow cover and also cloud cover may have further confused the pilot as to what he was descending toward. The crash was witnessed by men in a snowplough on a local road who called the emergency services and an ambulance later required towing down a heavily snow-rutted farm lane to access the crash site.

The role the pilot's commanding officers played in this accident occurring was questioned during the subsequent accident investigation. It was known by them that he was not qualified to fly on instruments and there was a level of cloud in the area just outside of the aircraft the flight was due to take place.

Pilot - Midshipman Alan Lambert Varney RN, aged 18. Buried Newton on Ouse Churchyard, Yorkshire.