Whitley K7190 at Dishforth aerodrome.
On 2nd May 1939 this 10 Squadron the crew of this aircraft took off from Dishforth airfield for an hour long night flying exercise at 21.45hrs. Fifteen minutes later the aircraft landed back at Dishforth because the fuselage door was open. The door was shut, it taxied around the airfield and took off again. Once in the air it climbed away too steeply, a stall occurred and it dived into the ground believed to have been within the airfield boundary. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and the crew killed. An investigation followed. The nature of the steep climb away after leaving the ground pointed to the elevator control locks being left in place however the investigation could not fully prove this because of the fire that destroyed much of the aircraft. It did not rule out the locking pin had been put in while the fuselage door was closed and secured but the fire had destroyed the area where it would have been but noted that the pilot was known for his observation of procedures. If that was not the cause it may have been down to trimming tabs being set for landing and that the pilots forgot to return them to neutral prior to taking off again.
Pilot - Sgt Henry Albert Donald RAF (565524), aged 24. Buried Chester le Street Cemetery, Durham.
Second Pilot - Sgt Eric Cecil James Fryer RAF (514238), aged 26. Buried Croyden Cemetery, London.
Whitley K7190 was built to contract 421118/35 by Armstrong Whitworth and was allotted to 10 Squadron on 6th April 1937. The aircraft was taken on charge by 10 Squadron on 19th May 1937. On 14th February 1939 the aircraft received a repair on site by a team from Cunliff Owen and was returned to 10 Squadron once complete. Following the crash at Dishforth on 2nd May 1939 the damage was assessed and it was struck off charge. The aircraft had flown a total of 355 hours from new.