Date:	Thursday 24 February 1949
Time:	day
Type:	Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X
Owner/operator:	34 Sqn RAF
Registration:	RD780
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Costessey, 4.5 miles SW of RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk. -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk

Narrative:
Bristol Beaufighter TF. X, RD780: Written off (destroyed) 24 February 1949 when crashed near Costessey, four-and-a-half-miles south-west of RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk.

During a sortie earlier in the day, the insulation around the cockpit heater had become soaked in oil, due to the oil filler cap having not been secured in place; several gallons of oil were lost. Despite several incidents of fires caused by similar circumstances, the oil-soaked insulation around the cockpit heater was not changed, and it caught fire immediately after take-off, causing an on-board fire within the aircraft.

The pilot attempted an immediate landing back at base (RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk) but the burning aircraft instead dived into the ground four and a half miles short of base, ploughing through several hundred yards of trees, before coming to rest in a field. The pilot was killed

Crew of Beaufighter RD780:
Flight Lieutenant Alfred Montague Ronald, RAF - killed on active service 24.2.49

The subsequent Board of Inquiry reproved (reprimanded) the ground crew for "a poor reflection on the standards of maintenance and care applied"

On 1 August 1946 No. 681 Squadron RAF was renumbered as No. 34 Squadron, flying photo-reconnaissance Supermarine Spitfires until disbanding on 31 July 1947. No. 695 Squadron RAF was then renumbered to No. 34 Squadron on 11 February 1949 at Horsham St. Faith, near Norwich. They operated in anti-aircraft co-operation using Bristol Beaufighters and Spitfires until it too disbanded on 24 June 1952.

Costessey is a civil parish in South Norfolk, England and is 4 miles from Norwich. The civil parish forms part of the Norwich Urban Area.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.83. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.479
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/29/W2442: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578288
4. 34 Squadron ORB 1.2.49 to 31.12.50: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2410/23: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8419629
5. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
6, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._34_Squadron_RAF#Post-war
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costessey

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Dec-2019 18:28	Dr. John Smith	Added
03-Dec-2019 18:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
08-Dec-2019 17:24	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator]
26-Jul-2020 21:16	MiG15	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]