Date:	Wednesday 26 May 1948
Time:	day
Type:	North American Harvard Mk II
Owner/operator:	2 FTS RAF
Registration:	FX237
MSN:	14A-1540
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Eycot Wood, Rendcomb, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF South Cerney, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Ex-USAAF 43-34654 (MSN 14A-1540): Delivered to RAF as Harvard IIb FX237. To No 20 Flying Training School, Church Lawford, Warwickshire, April 1945. To No 2 Flying Training School RAF South Cerney, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, July 1947 as "FAI-E".

Written off (destroyed) 26 May 1948 when crashed at Eycot Wood, Rendcomb, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

The aircraft was flying on instruments in cloud when the student pilot lost control. The instructor pilot tried without success, to recover control of the aircraft, while still in cloud. The Harvard went into a spiral dive, during which the starboard aileron failed. The aircraft was unable to recover from the dive, and struck the ground, killing both of the crew on board.
Crew of Harvard FX237:
F/Lt Arthur Leonard Rimmer (Instructor Pilot) RAF - killed on active service 26-5-48
Cadet Pilot Robert Wile (Pupil Pilot U/T) RAF - killed on active service 26-5-48

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.53. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 Colin Cummings p 398
3. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988 p 105)
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/29/W2418: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578264
5. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1943_2.html
6. https://www.aviation-links.co.uk/Gloucestershire%20Aircraft%20Accidents.pdf
7. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Rimmer.htm
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendcomb

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Nov-2019 22:43	Dr. John Smith	Added
30-Nov-2019 07:49	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Nature, Operator]