Beech 23 Musketeer G-ASCL near Kirkbymoorside.
On 24th June 1966 this aircraft had flown from Birmingham and landed on a private grass strip near Kirkbymoorside without incident, believed to have been the landing strip at the Slingsby's factory. In the time that went by between the landing and taking off again there was a period of heavy rain. Just prior to take off the pilot checked the grass strip to see if it was suitable for the take off, he deemed it to be but during the resulting attempted take off the aircraft failed to lift off the ground as early as the pilot was expecting. With the end of the strip closing he feared he would not be able to clear a hedge. As the aircraft lifted off he made a slight turn right, it lifted off the ground but the starboard wheel clipped a wire fence, the aircraft then crashed into a hedge. The four on board are believed to have walked away with minor injuries but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
Pilot - Mr Jeremy Chavasse Alden Quinney.
Passenger - Mr Eric Rolfe. Injured shoulder.
Passenger - Name unknown.
Passenger - Name unknown.
Jeremy Quinney was born in April 1930. He was awarded his Royal Aero Club "Aviators' Certificate" (Cert No 27884) on 21st January 1952 at the Coventry Aero Club. He later ran the Worcestershire Gliding Club. At the time of this incident near Kirkbymoorside he owned G-ASCL. He died in January 2007.
Eric Rolfe was a well known glider pilot and owner of the 1960s and 1970s. He was from the Moreton in the Marsh area of Glocestershire..