Date:	Wednesday 15 October 1952
Time:	07:10
Type:	Vickers Wellington Mk X
Owner/operator:	1 ANS RAF
Registration:	RP319
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Hullavington, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Hullavington, Wiltshire (EGDV)
Destination airport:	RAF Hullavington, Wiltshire (EGDV)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Wellington T.Mk.X RP319 of 1 ANS (Air Navigation School) RAF, based at Hullavington, Wiltshire. Written off (destroyed) 15.10.1952: The crew was engaged in a local training sortie at RAF Hullavington. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing in freezing fog conditions, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, hit the corner of a hangar and crashed in flames. All four crew members were killed. According to a contemporary press report ("Wiltshire Times" 18th October 1952):

"Young Trowbridge Pilot Killed in Air Crash

A Trowbridge man was one of the victims of aircraft crash at No 1 Air Navigation School, RAF Hullavington on Wednesday morning. The aircraft, a Wellington, was about to take off on a routine navigational flight when it failed to gain sufficient height, crashed into the side of a large hangar and blew up. The crash set off the fire alarm and although appliances rushed to the spot immediately, the aircraft was completely burnt out and all 4 occupants were killed.

The accident happened at 7.10 and the noise of the explosion was heard by the residents of Stanton St Quintin and Hullavington. They were unable to see the flames due to the dense fog prevailing at the time.

Late in the day, the Air Ministry announced the names of dead as Sgt N.L. Pain, Flt Sgt L.B. Hodges, Acting Pilot Officer A.J. Saunders and Acting Pilot Officer J.P. Phillip."

The following week, a report of the inquest was published, The inquest could find no cause or reason for the crash. Despite the thick fog, the pilot reported that he could see 2 sets of runway lights which was adequate for take off. The rescue crew reported that the aircraft hit the top corner of a hanger about 25 feet from the ground.

Crew fatalties:
Pilot - Sgt Norman Leslie Pain from Trowbridge. Buried - Trowbridge cemetery, Trwobridge, Wilts
Air Signaller - F/Sgt Leonard Bryant Hodges from Petersfield, Hants. Buried Rogate Cemetery, Near Petersfield, Hampshire
Pupil Nav. - Acting P/O Anthony John Saunders from Forest Gate, Essex. Buried - Chippenham, Wiltshire.
Pupil Nav. - Acting P/O John Patrick Phillip. from Worthing, Sussex. Buried - Brighton Corporation Crematorium, Brighton, Sussex

Causes: It was later determined by an RAF Board of Inquiry that the aircraft stalled during initial climb due to an excessive accumulation of frost on all surfaces. It is believed that the crew did not prepare the flight properly and failed to remove the contaminants prior to take off. Accumulation of frost on wings, fuselage and stabilizers increased weight, reduced lift and modified the aerodynamic properties.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.135 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA000-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
3. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.301
4. Wiltshire Times 18th October 1952
5. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-vickers-619-wellington-x-raf-hullavington-4-killed-0
6. http://www.pro-patria.co.uk/Text/Chippenham%20Cemetery/anthony_Saunders.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Sep-2008 01:00	ASN archive	Added
15-Mar-2017 22:28	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
15-Mar-2017 22:28	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
19-Nov-2018 21:58	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Nature, Operator]
25-Mar-2021 23:30	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
26-Mar-2021 01:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
26-Mar-2021 10:31	sicak	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Operator]