ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 241017
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 30 May 1946 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Fairey Firefly FR Mk 1 |
| Owner/operator: | 736 Sqn FAA RN |
| Registration: | MB677 |
| MSN: | F.7601 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Trenance Downs, near St. Austell, Cornwall, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Illegal Flight |
| Departure airport: | HMS Vulture, RNAS St. Merryn, Padstow, Cornwall |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fairey Firefly FR.Mk.1 MB677: Delivered initially to 804 Squadron FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy) 1945 until at least 31/1/1946. Transferred by 2/4/1946 to 736 Squadron FAA, RN at HMS Vulture, RNAS St. Merryn, Padstow, Cornwall.
Written off (destroyed) 30/5/1946: Flew into a hillside in conditions of bad weather and poor visibility at Trenance Downs, near St. Austell, Cornwall. (At approximate coordinates 50'3563" North, 4'8112" West). Aircraft exploded on impact and disintegrated, killing the pilot.
Crew of Firefly MB677:
Lieutenant George William Roberts, RN (pilot, aged 25) - killed on active service 30/5/1946. Buried at St. Merryn Churchyard, St. Merryn, Padstow, Cornwall
The pilot was a Battle of Britain veteran, who had survived WWII, serving with the Fleet Air Arm during the Battle of Britain. As such, his biography is listed on the Battle of Britain Memorial as follows:
"George William Roberts was born in October 1920 in Warwick and was serving with 808 Squadron at Wick in early July 1940, flying Fairey Fulmars on dockyard defence.
He embarked with the squadron in HMS Ark Royal on 22nd October 1940 and served with it in the actions in the Mediterranean in 1941. On 11th October 1941 Roberts was posted to 800 Squadron in HMS Indomitable. He later served at Machrihanish and then went to HMS Khedive on 31st December 1943 for air gunnery duties.
Roberts was killed on 30th May 1946, whilst serving with 736 Squadron FAA at HMS Vulture, a training airfield near St. Merryn, Padstow, Cornwall. Fairey Firefly MB677 flew into a hill in bad visibility, exploded and disintegrated at Trenance Downs, near St. Austell. He was 25 and is buried in St Merryn churchyard, Cornwall.
Probate was granted to his wife Jean (nee Cook) though the date of their marriage is currently undocumented."
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.241)
2. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/RobertsGW.htm
3. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1946-05MAY.htm
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/736_Naval_Air_Squadron#Formation_and_early_years
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2948952/GEORGE%20WILLIAM%20ROBERT/
6. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56873599/george-william-roberts
7. https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/local/trenance-downs-cornwall
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Sep-2020 19:03 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 07-Sep-2020 20:51 | Digger | Updated [Operator, Location, Operator] |
| 26-Jun-2023 01:03 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [[Operator, Location, Operator]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation