Date:	Thursday 3 December 1953
Time:	day
Type:	North American AT-16 Harvard T.2B
Owner/operator:	3 FTS RAF
Registration:	KF269
MSN:	14A-1970
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
North American Harvard T.2B KF269 [MSN 14A-1970]. Direct Purchase, so no former USAAF serial. First recorded in RAF service in August 1944 with 41 OTU, RAF Hawarden, Cheshire. To 53 OTU RAF Kirton-in-Lindsay, Lincolnshire, November 1944. To 61 OTU RAF Rednal, Shropshire, February 1945 coded "TO-L". To 203 AFS (Advanced Flying School) RAF Chivenor, Barnstaple, Devon July 1947 (still as "TO-L"). To 226 OCU RAF Stradishall, Suffolk, September 1949 (still retaining the code "TO-L". To APS (Armanent Practice Station) RAF Acklington, Northumberland from April 1950 to February 1951, then withdrawn for overhaul, and storage. Next issued to 3 FTS, RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk from October 1952

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 3 December 1953: The aircraft was involved in a cross-country low level navigation sortie from RAF Feltwell, when the engine cut out. The pilot changed the wing tanks to restart the fuel supply, and operated a "wobble pump" (a manual fuel pump) in the cockpit. However, while doing this, the aircraft descended rapidly, and collided with a hedge between Feltwell and Methwold, Norfolk.

Having re-started the fuel supply, and thus re-started the engine, the engine picked up, the Harvard gained altitude, and then the pilot returned to RAF Feltwell to make a normal landing. However, the damage sustained to the airframe was obvious, and he was asked about how it had come about.

During the RAF Board of Inquiry investigation into the incident, it was discovered that the pilot had made false statements about his actions. He also admitted to flying at an altitude that was considerably lower than the briefed and authorised altitude on the sortie flight plan. As a result of his false statements, the pilot was Court-Martialled, and suffered a forfeiture of seniority (he was "reduced through the ranks"). Harvard KF269 was written off as "damaged beyond repair", and Struck Off Charge as Cat.5(c).

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.153 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 433
3. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988 p.117)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
23-May-2021 20:48	Dr. John Smith	Added
24-May-2021 09:25	BlB	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]