Date:	Thursday 30 June 1955
Time:	15:27
Type:	Gloster Meteor NF Mk 12
Owner/operator:	153 Sqn RAF
Registration:	WS662
MSN:	AWA.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF West Malling, Maidstone, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF West Malling, Maidstone, Kent
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Meteor WS662: Written off (destroyed) 30/6/55 when crashed on take off from RAF West Malling, Maidstone, Kent. Aircraft failed to become airborne, and ran off the end of the runway, into an orchard, killing two civilian farm workers, who were picking strawberries in a field adjacent to the orchard. Both crew killed, along with aforementioned two others on the ground

Meteor (WS662) was manufactured in July 1953 and had flown 118 hours since new. The pilot held an 'average' flying assessment and had flown 500 hours in Meteors, from a total of 761 hours in all types of aircraft. The accident occurred when the Meteor was taking off from West Malling on Runway 25 - it was part of a formation that was taking off in pairs, and WS662 was No.2 of the third pair and was to 'pull low' on take off. The weather at the time was good with excellent visibility. Runway 25 slopes with the end of the runway being some 60 feet higher than the take off point. The leader of the formation became airborne about 100 yards before the end of the runway and 'held low', at which point WS662 was still not fully off the ground. It continued over the escarpment of the overshoot area and crashed into an orchard - the Meteor disintegrated and both occupants were killed.

Inspection of the scene showed that WS662 had struck the trees at a moderately high speed, and tyre marks on the end of the runway showed a considerable braking effect. Tyre marks on the overshoot area suggested that the Meteor had sunk whilst still laterally level. Both engines had been running at moderately high RPM, the air brakes were fully extended, and nothing in the wreckage suggested a technical failure to explain the fact that the aircraft failed to take off. The Investigators concluded from the tyre marks etc that the pilot had tried to abandon take off, possibly because..."It may be that the pilot viewed with some apprehension whether the leader was going to get airborne in time and this may have been due to the leader pulling very low on his late take off".

According to an eyewitness report:
Cpl (4047562) Leonard Robert ROBINSON (Aero-Fireman Driver) R.A.F. West Malling

"I was the N.C.O. in charge of the crash crew on the afternoon of the 30th June, 1955. At 15:27 hrs the crash alarm sounded. I observed smoke at the far side of the south-west overshoot. I immediately proceeded to the orchard crash-exit gate in the crash Land-Rover and made my way to the crash as quickly as possible. On arrival I found that the pilot had been thrown clear and was lying across his seat. On a quick examination I found that he was dead. I surveyed the scene looking for the navigator but owing to the density of the smoke and heat I could not see him. The C.O.2 tender arrived at that time and we took action to control the fire. When the fire had been extinguished we were able to effect an entry to the rear cockpit and remove the navigator, who was dead. (signed) L.R. ROBINSON Cpl.

QUESTION NO. 1
President: When you arrived was there anybody else there?
ANSWER NO. 1
Yes, three or four male civilians who pointed to the pilot and said "There's one over there.".
QUESTION NO. 2
President: Do you consider the civilians had moved the pilot's body?
ANSWER NO. 2
I don't think so.
QUESTION NO. 3
Flt.Lt. Cruse: Did you notice whether the pilot's harness and parachute straps were undone?
ANSWER NO. 3
I didn't pay particular attention to them but I believe both of them were undone.
QUESTION NO. 4
President: On your crash vehicle what type of extinguishers do you carry?
ANSWER NO. 4
Two C.O.2 Gas 12 lb cylinder extinguishers. Two 2-gallon foams and two C.T.C. extinguishers. Two asbestos smothering blankets. (signed) L.R. ROBINSON Cpl."
Crew:
F/Lt (581326) Kenneth Morgan Charles (Pilot) RAF - killed
F/O (4085279) Patrick Maurice Rolfe (Nav.) RAF - killed

A contemporary newspaper cutting names the civilian casualties:
Alan William Henry Waller (aged 35) and Miss Alice Jarrett (aged 50).

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.172 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 92)
3. Category Five; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1954 to 2009 by Colin Cummings p.141
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WS
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/282: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424403
6. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/34/S2763: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578543
7. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=909.30
8. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.491730807546694.1073741836.487393537980421&type=1
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_West_Malling#Night_fighters,_1950s_and_1960s

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Jan-2020 23:08	Dr. John Smith	Added
12-Jan-2020 23:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
13-Jan-2020 14:11	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Operator]
22-May-2020 20:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
27-Dec-2020 15:49	stehlik49	Updated [Location, Operator]
23-Aug-2022 12:11	Nepa	Updated [Time, Location, Narrative, Operator]