Audax K5132 at Norton (Coal Aston) aerodrome, Sheffield.

Details as to why this pilot ended up over Sheffield are not known. On 7th February 1939 this No.11 Flying Training School aeroplane appears to have taken off from it's base at Shawbury, Shropshire for a flight that took the pilot significantly north of the Midlands area. The pilot appears to have been lost and was looking for somewhere to land in the area south of Sheffield at dusk. Mr Cedric Rotchell, a motor mechanic in charge of the night staff at Messers Newboult and Sons, Meadowhead, heard the noise of aeroplane circling and took a car to Norton aerodrome where he turned on the headlights to assist the pilot in landing. Mr R Neale, of Overstones, Norton Lane, then joined him in a second car and also turned on his headlights. The pilot made three attempts to land but failed to get down. On the fourth attempt he eventually descended over the aerodrome site but the angle of approach appears to have been far too steep and the aeroplane crashed nose first. As a result of the crash a Verey light set fire to wing and also the engine caught fire. Mr Rotchell climbed up on the wing where he found a semi-conscious pilot in the cockpit and helped him climb out. Rotchell, Neale and a police contstable dragged him clear of the fire. A short time later the fire brigade arrived and the fire was put out but the fabric across the whole aeroplane was burnt away. The pilot was taken to Sheffield Royal Hospital. The roadside access to the aerodrome site was on Norton Lane. It is worth saying that this incident occurred on the older of the two Norton aerodromes and on what became known as Coal Aston aerodrome.

Pilot - Cpl William Thompson RAF, aged 23, of Shrewsbury. Injured.