Date:	Sunday 14 December 1952
Time:	19:30
Type:	Boeing B-29A-70-BN Washington B.1
Owner/operator:	35 (Madras Presidency) Sqn RAF
Registration:	WF570
MSN:	11729
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 8
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	South Acre, nr Swaffham, 5 miles ENE of RAF Marham, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Marham, Norfolk (KNF/EGYM)
Destination airport:	RAF Marham, Norfolk (KNF/EGYM)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Boeing B-29A-70-BN Washington B.1: Ex USAF 44-62241, delivered under lend-lease 29 June 1951. RAF service with Washington Conversion Unit and 35 (Madras Presidency) Squadron. Written off 14 December 1952: Shortly after takeoff from RAF Marham, while in initial climb, the crew noticed a fuel leak on the right wing and decided to return for an emergency landing. Unfortunately, the visibility was limited due to poor weather conditions and the pilot-in-command was forced to complete the approach with its radio compass as sole reference as there were no ATC or ground navigation aids at that time.

During a last turn to join the runway approach path, the airplane lost height and crashed in a field located at South Acre, near Swaffham, 5 miles East North-East of RAF Marham, Norfolk. Four crew members were killed while four others were injured.

Crew Fatalties (4):
Flight Lieutenant (550471) Maurice John CREIGHTON, RAF (pilot)
Pilot Officer (2549990) David Patrick BALLARD, RAF (co-pilot)
Sergeant Terrence Patrick CROWE, RAF (Air Signaller)
Sergeant William Oliver HANNA, RAF (Navigator)

Crew injuries (4):
Sergeant G J W Jeffrey, RAF (Air Gunner)
Sergeant W A Lindsay, RAF (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant I McBain, RAF (Air Gunner)
Sergeant J F M Hunt, RAF (Air Gunner)

Cause: The filler cap on the right fuel tank was incorrectly replaced after refuelling, causing the fuel to flow after takeoff. The RAF Board of Inquiry into the accident (see link #9) stated that this indicent was "A flying accident that could have been easily avoided"

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.138 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983)
3. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.319
4. Howlett, Chris, "Capital Bomber", FlyPast Magazine, Stamford, Lincs., UK, Number 335, June 2009, pages 66, 73
5. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WF
7. http://www.rafwatton.info/Portals/0/wash/issue16.pdf
8. https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-marham/
9. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?133187-Washington-B29-(No-35-Squadron)
9. https://rafwatton.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Wash14.pdf (RAF Board of Inquiry documents are on pages 19-20)
10. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-boeing-b-29a-70-bn-washington-b1-near-raf-marham-4-killed
11. https://35squadron.wordpress.com/2018/02/14/boeing-b-29-washington/

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

12 April 1951

44-62252

307th BWg /371st BSqn USAF

0

Hillside near Suwon, Gyeonngi Province, 10 miles South of Seoul

w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
06-Jun-2008 21:56	JINX	Added
14-Apr-2013 21:24	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
02-Jun-2013 18:50	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location]
28-Jun-2017 22:35	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative]
03-Apr-2021 00:07	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Total occupants, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
04-Apr-2021 21:24	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
04-Apr-2021 21:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
23-Jul-2021 22:50	Digger	Updated [Time, Location, Operator]