Date:	Wednesday 6 January 1943
Time:	day
Type:	Miles Master Mk I
Owner/operator:	1406 Met Flt RAF
Registration:	T8616
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wick, Caithness
Destination airport:	RAF Leuchars, Fife

Narrative:
On 6 January 1943 Squadron Leader Allen Beveridge Mitchell RAF and Warrant Officer Laurence Munro McLean RCAF were killed in the crash of the Miles Master Mk.I T8616 of 1406 Meteorological Flight RAF. They were "shooting up the aerodrome" of Leuchars, flying at low level when they stalled and spun into the ground. Aircraft caught fire on impact with the ground, and was destroyed by fire. Court of Inquiry attributed blame on too steep a turn whilst low flying.

Crew:
Squadron Leader Allen Beveridge MITCHELL (Service Number 39827, aged 27) pilot RAF - died 6 January 1943 from multiple injuries. Buried at Pitlochry New Cemetery, Pitlochry
Warrant Officer Laurence Munro McLEAN (R/62458) pilot RCAF - died from 6 January 1943 multiple injuries, Buried at Leuchars Cemetery, Leuchars, Fife

W/O McLean had been previously injured in a flying accident on May 21, 1941. The 20 January 1943 edition of "The Chilliwack Progres", a Canadian newspaper, had the following about McLean:

"Parents Hear Death of Son
Mr. and Mrs. William McLean, Punnichy, Cultus Lake, received word of the death in action of their eldest son, Flight Sergeant Laurence Munro McLean, on January 6, 1943. Flight Sergeant McLean was 27 years of age, and was born in Moose Jaw, Sask., where he received his education. After graduating from high school he entered business with his father, until 1939 when he joined the RCAF. He had been overseas since April 1941, and for over a year was engaged in reconnaissance flights over the North Sea, after which he was put on communication flying, being stationed in Scotland. In September, 1942, he was paid a flying visit by his brother, P/O Donald McLean, who was then with the ferry command, taking bombers overseas. Flight Sergeant McLean was buried in Leuchars Cemetery, Scotland, on January 8. Survived by his parents at Cultus Lake, a brother with the RCAF and three sisters."

No.1406 Flight RAF: Formed 9.5.41 as No.1406 Meteorological Flight formed at WICK in No.18 Group with 1 + 1 Spitfire; 7.2.42 absorbed No.1408 Flt with Hudsons; 11.42 establishment 4 + 2 Hudson III, 4 + 2 Hampden, 2 + 1 Spitfire IIa; Absorbed into No.519 Sqn 7.8.43.

Aircraft:
Hudson III,V (AE531); Hampden I (AD741); Spitfire I,IIa,VI (P8514); Ventura II (AJ444); Albemarle (P1408).
Support aircraft:
Master I (T8616)

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft T1000-V9999 (James J Halley, Air Brtiain, 1997 p.71)
2. "The Chilliwack Progres", 20 January 1943 (available online at http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/43168094
3. Royal Air Force Flying Training and Support Units (Sturtivant R, Hamlin J & J J Halley, Air Britain (Historians),1997 p.130)
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?7671-430106-Unaccounted-airmen-6-1-1943
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Leuchars
6. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2458026/allen-beveridge-mitchell/
7. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2457139/laurence-munro-mclean/
8. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?18715-Who-was-the-CO-of-1406-Met-Flight-in-1941&p=141562#post141562
9. http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=T8616
10. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/military/Crashes_in_IOM_Scotland_and_NI.pdf
11. https://www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca/canadaairwar/canadaairwar1943.pdf
12. https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/history/fallen-aviators/rcaf-casualties-second-world-war/mckie-to-middlemiss/
13. https://canadianfallen.ca/79014/MCLEAN
14. https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2457139
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leuchars_Station#RAF_Leuchars

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
06-Jan-2017 16:35	Laurent Rizzotti	Added
14-Oct-2018 17:46	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]
08-Oct-2022 20:37	Nepa	Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Narrative, Operator]