ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 259488
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| Date: | Thursday 23 July 1942 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Bristol Beaufighter Mk IIF |
| Owner/operator: | 54 OTU RAF |
| Registration: | R2440 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 1 mile south-east of Duns, Berwickshire, Scotland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Charterhall, Berwickshire |
Beaufighter R2440: Took off for Training Solo flight. 23/07/1942
Pilot he was tasked with flying a model new to him, the Beaufighter, and was taken by an instructor on several circuits to better acquaint himself with the various controls and idiosyncrasies of the aircraft. After several successful landings and take offs, the instructor passed F/Lt. Hilton to fly solo, and handed the controls of Beaufighter R2440 over to him. His instruction to pilot was to stay within the circuit of the airfield, sound advice as one of Scotland’s summer storms was rapidly approaching.
Hilton duly carried out the order and took off to perform various solo flight tasks. An experienced pilot, F/Lt. Hilton found no problem landing or taking off himself and completed one full circuit before things went wrong.
On the second circuit of the airfield, F/Lt. Hilton somehow got lost, whether through an aircraft malfunction or pilot error, it is not known, but after entering bad weather, the aircraft was instructed to climb to a safe height which it failed to do. Moments later, the Beaufighter was heard circling over the nearby town of Duns before ploughing into low-lying ground, one mile south-east of the town. At the time of the accident the aircraft’s undercarriage was in the down position. The crash killed F/Lt. Hilton instantly, the aircraft being torn apart by hedges and the subsequent slide along the ground. A board of enquiry was set up and investigations carried out, but no blame was apportioned to Hilton and the case was closed.
Crew:
F/Lt (C/1626) William Deveaux Woodruff HILTON (Pilot) RCAF - killed
Sources:
1.http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=R2440
2.Beaufighter production list
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-May-2021 17:36 | Nepa | Added [Operator] |
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