Date:	Monday 22 December 1947
Time:	day
Type:	North American Harvard Mk IIB
Owner/operator:	7 SFTS RAF
Registration:	FX296
MSN:	14A-1599
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Stiffkey, 4 miles east of Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Ex-USAAF 43-34713 (MSN 14A-1599) Delivered to RAF as Harvard IIb FX296. To 9 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit, Errol, Perthshire, Scotland September 1944. To 5 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit, Tern hill, Shropshire June 1945. To 7 Service Flying Training School Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire April 1946

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when hit a farm building while low flying at Stiffkey, Norfolk 22 December 1947. The pilot was carrying out unauthorised low flying when the aircraft struck a farm building at Stiffkey, Norfolk injuring a civilian farm worker. The aircraft then crashed, and caught fire on impact, being destroyed when the fire took hold, killing the pilot

Note, however, that a contemporary newspaper report (the "Nottingham Journal" of December 23rd 1947) reported that the Harvard "crashed into a carpenter's shop at Stiffkey, Norfolk, some 20 yards from the pilot's home. Two people were injured". The Straits Times of 24 December 1947 (see link #1) added "the plane's engine crashed into a cottage, injuring two people".

Crew of Harvard FX296:
Pilot IV (1811222) Bernard Peter A. PARSONS (pilot) RAF killed on active service 22 December 1947, buried at St. John the Baptist Churchyard, Stiffkey, North Norfolk District, Norfolk, England

Stiffkey, is a village and civil parish on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the A149 coast road, some 6 km (3.7 miles) east of Wells-next-the-Sea, 6 km (3.7 miles) west of Blakeney, and 40 km (25 miles) north-west of the city of Norwich. Although it is equidistant between the two towns, for postal purposes, Wells-next-the-Sea is regarded as the local town.

1. The Straits Times 24 December 1947, p.8: https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19471224-1.2.75
2. http://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=34961
3. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.357
4. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988)
5. Nottingham Journal December 23rd 1947
6. 7 SFTS RAF ORB for the period 1-12-1935 to 28-2-1948: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/567/1: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7160844
7. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1943_2.html
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?25156-471222-Unaccounted-Airmen-22-12-1947&highlight=FEASBY&p=145489#post145489
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2764446/bernard-peter-a-parsons/
10. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247551064/bernard-peter_a-parsons
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stiffkey

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
01-Apr-2019 08:52	TB	Added
04-May-2023 21:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated