Date:	Sunday 15 March 1953
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Seafire FR Mk 47
Owner/operator:	1833 Sqn FAA RNVR
Registration:	VP433
MSN:	VASM
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Flat Lane Farm, Flat Lane, Gilmorton, near Lutterworth, Leicestershire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Gamecock, RNAS Bramcote, Warwickshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Supermarine Seafire FR 47: Built by Vickers-Supermarine at South Marston. Notified as awaiting collection 29/11/1947. Delivered to the FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy) on 15/12/1947 to RNAS Anthorn RDU. First issued for service to 804 Squadron FAA RN in March 1948 as "135/O". Damaged 17/4/1948 in precautionary emergency landing at HMS Goldcrest, RNAS Dale, Pembrokeshire. Pilot Lieutenant K.V.Newton uninjured.

After repairs, issued to HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, Malta in July 1949. Returned to service with 800 Squadron FAA RN (still as "135/O") in December 1949. Next recorded at Vickers-Armstrongs (Supermarine) at Eastleigh, Hampshire in January 1951 for refurbishment. Test flown by Squadron Leader Morgan. Notified as awaiting collection after completion of work 11/9/1951. Returned to the FAA RN at HMS Blackcap, RNAS Stretton AHU by January 1952.

Next issued for service by January 1953 to 1833 (RNVR) Squadron, FAA RN at HMS Gamecock, RNAS Bramcote, Nuneaton, Warwickshire as "160/BR"

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 15/3/1953: Aircraft was number three in a formation takeoff, but made a forced landing soon after take off from RNAS Bramcote. Aircraft "pancaked" into a field, and struck an embankment at Flat Lane Farm, Flat Lane, Gilmorton, 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Lutterworth in Leicestershire. Pilot - Lieutenant Donald R.Halstead - was killed. Bruntingthorpe Airfield is just east of the village, and the pilot may have been trying to make an emergency landing there.

Wreckage recovered to HMS Gamecock, RNAS Bramcote, where formally Struck Off Charge as Cat.ZZ 9/4/1953. Total time on airframe: 386.10 hours.

The reported crash location of Gilmorton, is a village and civil parish about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Lutterworth in Leicestershire, England

1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant et al, Air Britain, 2004 p.553)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File ADM 1/24556:
3.https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4845669
4. Supermarine Seafire F.XV,F.XVII,F.45,F.46,F.47 and Seafang p.114 By Kev Darling
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p115.html
6. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1953.htm
7. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VP
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilmorton

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

24 June 1950

PK394

607 (County of Durham) Sqn RAF

1

North Sea, 40 miles off Blyth, Northumberland, England

w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Aug-2020 21:37	Dr. John Smith	Added
26-Aug-2020 08:59	Angel Dick one	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Source, Operator]
14-Nov-2020 18:45	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative]