Canberra ejection (from the past), but which one?

Fascinating account Brian, thanks for posting it up!

Rob

Canberra WJ582 accident on 21 February 1962

For a minute to minute account of the accident as told by Allen Lock, the Met Observer of WJ582, go to http://www.rmets.org/sites/rmets.org/files/hisnews1301.pdf and scroll down to page 8. Three very fortunate aviators!

Brian

Thank you Graham. Any additional information would certainly help.
There was a very basic display card with it but no name – date – etc, just that it belonged to a 231 OCU crew member and was recovered from the sea. And this card had been in the cabinet for some 15 to 20 years as I understand it.
That display area of the tower has been completely refurbed, with the helmet now on display in a genuine Bassingbourn crew locker dating from the 1950’s.

Rob

It was fished out as stated – and somewhere in my files – and old newsletters – I have full details of the presentation, but as the Engineering Director of EAAS, I did not have that much to do with the Tower. The curator, the late Vince Hemmings accepted it on behalf of EAAS, and I know that when Vince was the curator, there was a full display card with the exhibit and proper records kept. I’ll see what I can discover, if not I’ll speak with his widow, cos I know she still has his own personal duplicate files.

Having had chance to look inside the bonedome I could make out some faint writing. This now pretty much confirms it as Plt Officer M Howes flying helmet (unless there was another ejection by someone with the same surname) thus making it the ejection from Canberra PR.3 WF927 on the 7th January 1969.
At that time of year the sea would of been absolutely freezing for anyone unlucky enough to end up in it.

It would be interesting to know if Mr Howes is still around, so an account of the incident could be included with the bone dome display!?

Rob[ATTACH=CONFIG]229378[/ATTACH]

A possibility (with a large stretch of imagination) is WK136, Canberra B2, 26 Sep1955, 231OCU.

The aircraft came down east of Stowmarket, (which is some 25 miles from the coast of Suffolk). So a possibility of a splashdown.

“At a height of 21000ft the tail trim actuator ran away to fully nose up. The pilot, Squadron Leader SG Hewitt was able to retain some control whilst the crew abandoned the aircraft, although F/O E Bates snagged his harness whilst trying to get out of the cabin door. Whilst Hewitt and F/O DE Taylor were successful in their ejections, the student navigator (P/O PJ Leigh) didn’t separate from his ejection seat after leaving the aircraft and was killed.”

Source: ‘To Fly No More’, by Colin Cummings; ISBN 0-9526619-2-6.

Good call Bob, and i have a copy of Sdr Ldr Hewitt’s recollection of the accident as reported in FLIGHT, but again there is no mention of any of the crew ending up in the sea.

Rob

WF927 sounds like a contender.

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=157567

Indeed, Steve. WF927 was my first choice, as I guess its feasable that the crew elected to head all the way to the coast and abandon a potentially stricken aircraft having lost control on a failed approach.
But if it is this incident then it makes me wonder why both crew didn’t leave, and why after the nav ejected that the pilot decided to head all the way back to Cottesmore?!

Rob

The Met Research Flight WJ582 did hit the sea and the pilot ejected underwater according to the description of the incident in this MRF report. I wonder what actually happened during the ejection process, how far would a MB seat of that time send you underwater.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/r/d/Canberra_Crash.pdf
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/5/a/70_years_of_ARF_271112.pdf

Richard

Thanks for that, Richard. My understanding was that the aircraft hit sand and that the wreckage re=appears from time to time. Must get better sources 😉

The Met Research Flight WJ582 did hit the sea and the pilot ejected underwater according to the description of the incident in this MRF report. I wonder what actually happened during the ejection process, how far would a MB seat of that time send you underwater.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/r/d/Canberra_Crash.pdf
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/5/a/70_years_of_ARF_271112.pdf

Richard

A possibility (with a large stretch of imagination) is WK136, Canberra B2, 26 Sep1955, 231OCU.

The aircraft came down east of Stowmarket, (which is some 25 miles from the coast of Suffolk). So a possibility of a splashdown.

“At a height of 21000ft the tail trim actuator ran away to fully nose up. The pilot, Squadron Leader SG Hewitt was able to retain some control whilst the crew abandoned the aircraft, although F/O E Bates snagged his harness whilst trying to get out of the cabin door. Whilst Hewitt and F/O DE Taylor were successful in their ejections, the student navigator (P/O PJ Leigh) didn’t separate from his ejection seat after leaving the aircraft and was killed.”

Source: ‘To Fly No More’, by Colin Cummings; ISBN 0-9526619-2-6.

WF927 sounds like a contender.

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=157567

While it’s not a 231ocu machine,the only loss over the sea that I can find is WJ582 of the meteorological Reseach flight,which crashed in the sea on 21 feb ’62 off RAF leuchars,could it be that the crew member was ex 231,and his name/Sqn was in his helmet when found? The report can be found at aviation-safety.net/wiki base/Wiki.php?id=21099,hope this may be of interest,

Keith (xv473)

Nobody bailed out of that particular aircraft. It hit sand at the mouth of the river Eden on the approach to Leuchars with the crew inside.

Thanks Keith. Its a possibility I guess. I think the somewhat vague caption reads that he was with 231 at the time of the incident though. Also one of the more senior members of the museum recalls that the aircraft itself didn’t come down in the sea, only the crew member / helmet did.

Rob

While it’s not a 231ocu machine,the only loss over the sea that I can find is WJ582 of the meteorological Reseach flight,which crashed in the sea on 21 feb ’62 off RAF leuchars,could it be that the crew member was ex 231,and his name/Sqn was in his helmet when found? The report can be found at aviation-safety.net/wiki base/Wiki.php?id=21099,hope this may be of interest,

Keith (xv473)

Thanks for taking the time to reply, Slipstream.
I’ve been compiling a list of postwar accidents for the museum involving Bassingbourn based aircraft, and of the seventeen incidents that i’ve found to date involving 231OCU Canberra’s (including the two you mention) not one mentions anything to do with the sea.

Rob

All I have been able to find is this

24/07/1957 WE114 Canberra B2 231 OCU Dived into the ground during a night overshoot at Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire

15/08/1957 WH865 Canberra B2 231 OCU Flew into the ground during a night approach to Bassingbourn, Cambs

http://www.ukserials.com/

Just bumping this up as its got me and the museum staff stumped.

Rob