Our notes: black text is the original printed form, blue text is the station response to the questions therein. On this particular form spelling of the Belgian pilot's name appears to be LELARGE, in the station record book it is recorded as Le Laige.
Appendix 4
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.)     A.92.  12.5.43.  (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  350 (Belgian) Squadron Group No. 13 Command Fighter Serial No. of Form      2/5/43   2.   Date of Incident      11.5.43 3. Nature of and purpose for which flight authorised:-       Time    19.05 Hrs.   SITE OF INCIDENT Nature   (i) Operational or non- operational...  Non-Operational (a) Name of Aerodrome or landing ground    (ii) day or Night flying?.... Day     (b) Place( if (a) not applicable)   Laverock Hall Farm.  Nr. Blyth - Map. Ref. 772988 (iii) Purpose.... Practice interception flying.     (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 Single or Port Starboard Centre Port Centre Starboard Type Spitfire Marlin       Mark or series V. B. 45       RAF No. and makers' No. for engines. B.L.370 No. 69485/280355  a a a a Total hours run b b b b b Date last installed in airframe ----- b b b b c. Extent of damage Cat. 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                       ?? LELARGE  L.M.A.H. F/O 127854 U 105 244           (Belgian)                                                               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 necessary. 9.IF INCIDENT OCCURED when taxying on, taking off from or landing on a runway state "Yes" G No A No
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....1.....Minutes......05.... If engine failure occurred during take off quote height....... Pilot was carrying out practice interception with other Squadron Aircraft. After diving on yellow 2, he reduced throttle and on attempting to open throttle again the engine cut. Pilot checked fuel, contact, oil pressure, coolant temperature and read everything alright. He was now at 2000'  and chose a suitable field for landing. He made a normal approach, but on contact with the ground, owing to the grass being sodden, the left cannon entered the ground and the aircraft turned over on its back.
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. Inspection of Spitfire B.L.370 at scene of crash showed signs of petrol starvation. 1) Fuel Line, bottom tank to R.R. filter dry. 2) Fuel Line, fuel pump to carb dry. 3) Fuel Line R.R. petrol filter to pump dry.    Bottom petrol tank control rod found disconnected at 3 way cock on underside of bottom tank and cock in "off" position. No restrictor union fitted - adequate quantity of petrol in tank. Inspection of cockpit showed - switches "off", top tank "on", bottom tank. Aircraft extensively damaged. Cat. B. Is form 1022 or 1023 being rendered?  No.  If "Yes" stated which ......                                                                                                Signature ..... (signed) R.C. FLANAGAN. P/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. Clear Weather, good visibility, slight wind. B. Accident due to mechanical failure. From a distance the landing field looks very suitable for a forced landing. The ground was very soft and soaked the ?? evening. The pilot made a perfect approach and touched down about one hundred yards after the boundary, extensive damage being done as a result of the left cannon entering the ground and causing the aircraft to turn over. C. No action taken against pilot as he took correct procedure for forced landing and cannot be blamed either for the cutting of the engine or for not seeing the ground was too soft. Signature............H. SMETS  (O?)   F/L   .......... Commanding...........350 (Belgian) Squadron............................... Date  13.5.43
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) No. (ii) Cockpit bottom tank leaver was inoperative due to faulty servicing. Diciplinary action being initiated against those responsible. Pilot made an excellent attempt at forced landing and is in no way to blame. Signature.............E. GRAHAM W/Cdr.................. Commanding................  ...... Date.
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