Peter Wood's own transcriptions of two documents held in the Public Record Office...

Z 1047/1

1999

Peter Wood's own transcriptions of two documents held in the Public Record Office regarding the crash of an RAF Mosquito at Flitwick on 24 Feb 1945.

First Document: War Office Accidents Branch Investigator's Report, PRO reference: W.2099/Bu II (Avia 23/5), the report consists of full details under the following sections note: only some of the information recorded is noted in the following catalogue description, all technical detail has been omitted and anyone wishing to see this should order the document from the stackroom:

1. type and marking of aircraft: Mosquito XVII (HK 304);

2. type and number of engines;

3. type of propellers;

4. owners of aircraft or Service Unit: No.51 OTU, RAF Cranfield;

5. date and time of accident: 12.32 p.m. on 24 Feb 1945;

6. exact location of accident: Woodside Field, Flitwick;

7. certificate of airworthiness;

8. weather conditions;

9. object of flight: ground control interception exercise;

10. pilot's history, licences and injuries: Sergeant J.Bonnewit (a Belgian national) who was killed;

11. crew: Sergeant J.W.G.Muncaster, RAFVR, who was killed;

12. passengers: none;

13. airframe history;

14. engine history;

15. loading armament and/or special equipment;

16. circumstances of flight;

17. distribution of wreckage;

18. sketch map [not included];

19. witness statements: F.Brightman of Steppingley; Police Constable G.C.Upchurch of Flitwick; Mrs.Finedon of Flitwick; Leading Observer E.J.Woodland;

20. port wing;

21. starboard wing;

22. centre section;

23. fuselage;

24. fin;

25. tailplane;

26. undercarriage;

27. tail wheel;

28. ailerons;

29. aileron tabs;

30. elevators;

31. elevator tabs;

32. rudder;

33. rudder tab;

8195 Z 1047/1 34. flaps;

continued 35. slats;

36. flying controls;

37. power units;

38. engine installations;

39. cockpit;

40. oxygen;

41. miscellaneous;

42. RDAs defects;

43. fire in air or on ground;

44. interference with wreckage;

45. date and time of inquest;

46. service investigation;

47. observations;

48. opinion: the rib structure of the starboard radiator upper nose faring failed during levelling our from a 6,000 feet dive, control of the aircraft was lost and it went into a spin, when control was regained, the pilot put the aircraft into a dive and, when he tried to pull out of this, the wing structure failed and the aircraft broke up

Second Document: précis of investigation W.2099

English

8195