ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 232765
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| Date: | Thursday 14 February 1957 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Westland Wyvern S Mk 4 |
| Owner/operator: | 763 Sqn FAA RN |
| Registration: | VW885 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Buxted, Wealden District, near Uckfield, East Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RNAS Ford, (HMS Peregrine) Yapton, West Sussex |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
On the 14th February 1957 Westland Wyvern S.4 VW885 '689/FD' of 763 Squadron FAA RN took off from RNAS Ford on what was presumably a routine training flight. Sometime later at 10,000 feet over East Sussex and during a tight turn it flicked to port and entered an uncontrollable and unrecoverable spin.
Mr Kelly (not the landowner) who was still a schoolboy at the time told me "I can remember it like only yesterday. Even though I was some two miles away, I could hear this tremendous noise above. And, although I could not see it, I soon realised it was an aeroplane coming down and in some difficulty. The noise just got louder and louder, before finally there was a 'boom' as it hit the ground. After school I got on my bike and pedalled like mad to go and have a look at the crash site".
Luckily it had come down in an empty field but very close to a locals house, so close in fact to be at the end of the garden. Fortunately, at around 3,500 feet, the pilot Lt B. Hartwell RN had already decided to eject using the Martin Baker Mk.2B seat. This he did successfully and was unhurt (although some locals rumoured that he had parachuted into a tree and had to be helped free, but I cannot confirm this).
The wreckage was subsequently collected by the RN and transported to the Accident Investigation Unit at RNAS Lee On Solent. After completion of accident investigations, the wreckage of Wyvern VW885 was struck off charge, and scrapped on 29 March 1957
Buxted is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex in England. The parish is situated on the Weald, north of Uckfield; the settlements of Five Ash Down, Heron's Ghyll and High Hurstwood are included within its boundaries.
Sources:
1. Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 22 February 1957
2. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Strutivant, Mick Burrows & Lee Howard, Air Britain 2004)
3. http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/2017/10/21/the-westland-wyvern-a-mighty-monster/
4. https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/125466-on-this-day-56-years-ago?goto=newpost
5. https://uckfieldnews.com/details-sought-of-aeroplane-crash-at-buxted-in-1957/
6. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm
7. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VW
8. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3370.0
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buxted
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Feb-2020 00:04 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 04-Feb-2020 17:22 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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