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Appendix 5

Form 765 (C) (Revised Dec., 1941)

REPORT ON FLYING ACCIDENT OR
FORCED LANDING NOT ATTRIBUTABLE TO ENEMY ACTION.

In every case copies of this form are to be rendered as follows:-

(i) One copy direct to Air Ministry, C.I. (Accidents)		If this incident has been reported to the Air Ministry by signal, quote Reference No. and date.
(ii) Two copies direct to Air Ministry, (S.4. Statistics)
(iii) One copy direct to Ministry of Aircraft Production (R.M.I.)		T.796. d/9.7.43
(iv) One copy through usual channels to Command Headquarters
[ In addition and only if casualties to airman are involved ] (v) One copy direct to Records Office

1. Unit 409 (R.C.A.F.) SQUADRON	Group No. 13	Command FIGHTER	Serial No. of Form 61
2. Date of Incident 9.7.43	3. Nature of and purpose for which flight authorised:-
Time 17:45
SITE OF INCIDENT	Nature
	(i) Operational or non- operational... Non- Oper.
(a) Name of Aerodrome or landing ground ACKLINGTON	(ii) day or Night flying?.... DAY

(b) Place (if (a) not applicable)	(iii) Purpose.... AIR TEST
(c) County NORTHUMBERLAND

Part (a) to be completed if the incident occurred on, or whilst taking off from or approaching to land on an aerodrome or landing ground	This flight is being included in this Unit's flying hour summary on: Form 765A / 765B ....(Delete as necessary)

4. Type of airframe and engine and extent of damage (see footnotes to this section)
Details of Airframe and Engine	Airframe	Engines
Details of Airframe and Engine	Airframe	Single or Port	Starboard	Centre Port	Centre Starboard
Type	Beaufighter	Merlin	Merlin
Mark or series	II	II	II
RAF No. and makers' No. for engines.	T. 3145	54863 / 245152 a	40755 / 21892 a	a	a
Total hours run	255:05 b	b	b	b	b
Date last installed in airframe	-----	b	b	b	b
c. Extent of damage	E	B	B

a. To be quoted whenever an engine is damaged or fails b. To be quoted only for incidents involving defect or failure of airframe or engines c. To be indicated as :- E = Missing, unrepairable, reduction to scrap or instructional. B = For repair at contractor's works or R.A.F Depot. AC = For repair by contractor's working party. A = For repair by nearest R.A.F. unit. U = No damage.

5. ALL OCCUPANTS OF AIRCRAFT and FLYING EXPERIENCE OF PILOTS
Names to be entered in order of duty: 1st Pilot, 2nd Pilot, Pupil Pilots, etc. Degree of injury to be classified as: Missing, Killed, Injured (admitted to Sick Quarters or Hospital), Slightly Injured (not admitted to Sick Quarters or Hospital), Uninjured. (Quote as M, K, I, I(s) or U as appropriate					Flying Experience of Pilots and Pupil Pilots. See note (ii)
					Part A		Part B (see note (i) below)		Part C
					Total Solo (Day and Night)		Solo (Night)		Instru- ments	Link Trainer
					Total quoted in part 4	All types	Total quoted in part 4	All Types
Duty	Name and Initials (Nationality to be quoted if not British)	Rank	No.	Degree of Injury	Total quoted in part 4	All types	Total quoted in part 4	All Types

??	G.R. LEASK	P/O	J.16108	U	DAY 188:30
					NIGHT 98:25	575:00

??	PEARSON, J.D.	LAC	R.79597	U


NOTE (i) Part B only to be quoted if incident occurred during night flying. (ii) Quote to nearest hour. (iii) Part C only to be quoted if loss of control at night or in bad visibility or cloud by day is a possible contributory factor.

6. STAGE OF FLIGHT A. Picketing or at moorings. B. Starting up. C. Stationary other than A or B. D. Taxying. E. Taking off. F In flight. G. Landing. H. Towed or manhandled. J. Not known. Complete A or B or C, etc., as appropriate.	7. DID FIRE OCCUR? If yes, state "In air" or "On ground" as appropriate. If no fire state "No"	8. CONDITION OF LIGHT IN WHICH INCIDENT OCCURRED. A Day (daylight) B. Dusk (Half light of evening) C. Dawn (half light of morning) D. Dark (no moon or moon obscured) E. Moonlight. F. Not known. Quote as A or B or C etc., as appropriate and amplify in Part 12 (B) if neccessary.	9.IF INCIDENT OCCURED when taxying on, taking off from or landing on a runway state "Yes"
G	NO	YES [sic]	(YES)

10. SUMMARY OF PILOT'S REPORT (or a description of circumstances which terminated in the accident if the pilots report is not available). In cases of engine failure information should be given as to the behaviour of the engine and manipulation of the engine controls immediately before failure.

Duration of flight since last take off: Hours.........Minutes.......... If engine failure occurred during take off quote height.....N.A...

Pilot was testing Beaufighter II T.3343. When lowering undercarriage prior to landing the starboard u/c leg did not appear to lock down, hand pump was then used but starboard u/c indicator still did not show locked down and when the throttles were closed the horn blew. Pilot then operated emergency hydraulic system. When using hand pump pilot noticed that pressure suddenly released and passenger reported fluid streaming out from behind starboard engine. Pilot then selected wheels up and approached for landing. Flaps by this time had gone back to 15º. Pilot approached at 140-150 m.p.h. and touched down approximately one third distance down the aerodrome. U/C did not collapse until aircraft ran through far field fence. [last two words are part obscured in the binding]

11. REPORT BY APPROPRIATE SPECIALIST OFFICERS (A. E. Nav., &c.) :(i) If technical failure is involved information as to the nature and cause of the failure is required; precise information as to the extent of the damage arising as a result of this failure is not required. (ii) If the non-embodiment of an authorised modification is considered to have contributed to the accident, the serial number of the modification and reason for non-embodiment should be stated.

On investigation, I found that the starboard flap jack (26AY/9254) had fractured longitudinally for about 4 inches. No other damage on this jack found hence failure considered a manufacturing fault. This crack caused failure of the hydraulic system through loss of hydraulic fluid when flaps were selected 'down'. Pilot landed 'wheels down', undercarriage did not collapse until hitting obstructions beyond the runway on grass verge. Extensive damage to fuselage. Category E.1.

Is form 1022 or 1023 being rendered? If "Yes" stated which ....Yes. F1022 .. Signature ..... (sgd) J. CASSELL. F/L. S.E.O.

12. REMARKS BY UNIT COMMANDER (to be given under three separate headings) :-

PART A. Remarks as to circumstances of the incident. (If it occurred at night on or near an aerodrome the nature of the lighting system in use at the time is to be noted in Part A.)

PART B. Diagnosis of all contributory factors. The manner in which any particular factor contributed to the incident is to be clearly indicated.

PART C. General remarks (including any recommendation with with regard to personnel, training, airframes, engines, accessories, etc., and notes of any action taken as a result of this incident)

A. Day test of aircraft at Acklington Aerodrome. First flight following repairs and overhaul by Maintenance Echelon.

B. Failure of hydraulic system whilst airborne. Pilot approached to land expecting undercarriage to collapse.

C. Pilot made landing approach about 140 m.p.h. This increase in normal speed necessary because of lack of flaps, although somewhat higher than accepted safe speed under these circumstances. It has not been definitely established when undercarriage collapsed.

Signature...........(sgd) R.H. HEDGER. S/Ldr................ Commanding............409 Sqdn.............................. Date...12/7/43

13. REMARKS BY STATION COMMANDER (and notes of any action taken as a result of this incident) : -

(i) Was any assistance rendered in rescue work after the accident which is considered worthy of recommendation? Yes or No.........If any such assistance was rendered, the recommendation is to be forwarded separately.

(ii) Remarks.

I concur with Squadron Commander's remarks above.

Signature.........S.W. Reid W/C...................... Commanding........R.A.F. STATION, ACKLINGTON.............. Date....12.7.43