ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 161699
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| Date: | Tuesday 20 January 1942 |
| Time: | 03:15 |
| Type: |  Vultee BT-13A |
| Owner/operator: | 5 BFTS RAF |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Embry-Riddle Field, Clewiston, Florida -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Embry-Riddle Field, Clewiston |
| Embry-Riddle Field |
Night flying training had been taking place at No. 5 British Flying Training School's base at Clewiston.
The Florida night was cool and clear. The relative humidity was high and there was a gentle breeze blowing. Just the right conditions for the formation of fog.
Most of the cadets and instructors had completed their details for the night but two BT-13s were still in the air, flown by solo cadets, and operating in the circuit.
The pilot of the leading aircraft was established in the downwind leg when he noticed that the flames of the gooseneck flares marking the flarepath were becoming indistinct. By the time this aircraft landed just a few minutes later and taxied clear of the strip the airfield was almost obscured by a fog bank extending to about 50 feet above the ground and giving a forward visibility of only a few yards.
The second BT-13 had just taken off when the fog clamped down and by the time the cadet pilot had completed his timed circuit the airfield and its flarepath were invisible from the air.
Possibly confused by the sudden disappearance of the flare path and not realising its significance the pilot appears to have attempted a landing on top of the fog layer. The BT-13 is believed to have stalled at 50 feet or more above the ground, dropped its left wing as this aircraft type was known to do in a stall, and fell into a spin.
The BT-13A hit the ground steeply, crumpled, and burst into flames.
Instructors and cadets rushed to the scene with hand-held fire extinguishers snatched from aircraft.
Their efforts to suppress the fire quickly and save the pilot were unsuccessful.
LAC Roger Bensley Crosskey (1315702) RAFVR, killed in a flying accident.
R.I.P.
Sources:
http://www.5bfts.org.uk/arcadia/pages/Crosskey%20accident/Crosskey%20accident%20report.aspx
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Oct-2013 05:09 | angels one five | Added |
| 26-Dec-2013 22:12 | angels one five | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Jan-2016 08:31 | Angel dick one five | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 29-May-2018 17:45 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Location, Destination airport, Narrative] |
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