Date:	Tuesday 27 January 1953
Time:	day
Type:	English Electric Canberra B Mk 2
Owner/operator:	3 LRFU RAF
Registration:	WH696
MSN:	71155
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Old Bath Road, 3/4 miles west of Twyford, Berkshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Destination airport:	RAF Abingdon (EGUD)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
EE Canberra B.2 WH696, 3 LRFU (Long Range Ferry Unit), RAF: Written off (destroyed) 27 January 1953, when dived into ground at the Old Bath Road, 3/4 mile West of Twyford, Berkshire whilst on 2 hour training flight. Crash destroyed the road, and caused a crater 25 feet deep by 40 feet across, after bringing down telephone wires which cut communications between Reading and Twyford. Aircraft was 11 days old, having been delivered on 18 January 1953. According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Western Mail" - Wednesday 28 January 1953)

"Two killed in Canberra crash
The crew of two were killed when an R.A.F. Canberra twin-jet bomber crashed on the Old Bath road at Twyford (Berks.) yesterday 10 minutes after take-off from Abingdon (Berks.) on a local training flight. They were Master Pilot C. S. Orrell, the pilot, and Sgt. W. G. Haupt, the navigator. It made a crater in the road about 30 ft. wide and 20 ft. deep after bringing down telephone wires which cut communication between Reading and Twyford."

Inquest held on 4 February 1953 at the Almshouses, Twyford.

Verdict 'Accidental death due to the disintegration of the 'plane'. RAF Documents give the cause as obscure. There was insufficient information available to establish a cause, and the case was closed.

NOTE: At the Inquest on 4 February 1953. The last signatures of the two airmen, in the book authorising the training flight were shown to the Coroner by Flt Lt W S Dossett of RAF Abingdon. He stated ' I trained the pilot on this aircraft. He had done more than 1,900 hours flying, but on this type only two hours. This being his second solo with it.'

Crew of Canberra WH696
Master Pilot (621146) Stanley Cardy Orrell (pilot) RAF - killed in service 27/1/1953, buried at Spring Road Cemetery, Abingdon
Sergeant (3036635) William Gordon Haupt (Navigator) RAF - killed in serivce 27/1/1953, buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p. 140 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 335
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain. 1983 p 52)
4. The Berkshire Chronicle 30th January & 6th February, 1953
5. Western Mail - Wednesday 28 January 1953
6. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/135: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424256
7. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/32/S2615: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578461
8. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1950-1959_26.html
9. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=16134.0
10. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WH

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Jun-2008 00:24	JINX	Added
22-Jan-2010 10:36	John Baker	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
04-Apr-2013 18:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Location, Source, Narrative]
30-May-2013 16:18	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
16-Mar-2014 20:57	John Baker	Updated [Narrative]
14-Feb-2015 17:18	TB	Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative]
31-Dec-2019 22:07	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
31-Dec-2019 22:13	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
01-Jan-2020 17:01	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, Operator]
10-Apr-2021 18:39	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
10-Apr-2021 18:52	King T.	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Narrative, Operator]
10-Apr-2021 18:53	King T.	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Source, Operator]
10-Apr-2021 18:54	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Operator]
10-Apr-2021 21:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]