Date:	Sunday 26 May 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF. IX
Owner/operator:	FC CS RAF
Registration:	MK994
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Graveley, 5 miles south of Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Bovingdon, Hertfordshire
Destination airport:	RAF Graveley, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

Narrative:
MK994: Spitfire LF. IX. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin 66 engine. Delivered to the RAF at 9 MU Cosford 6-4-44. First issued to 126 Squadron, RAF Hethel, Norfolk as '5J-H' 10-5-44. FACB (Flying Accident Cat. B) 11-7-44. To Westland Aircraft 23-2-45 for repairs. After repairs, issued later in 1945 to FCCS (Fighter Command Communications Squadron). Unit based at RAF Bovingdon, Hertfordshire (and RAF Northolt, Ruislip, Middlesex)

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when undercarriage collapsed on landing at RAF Graveley 26-5-46. The pilot failed to ensure that the undercarriage was "down and locked". Although he saw red VEREY lights (flares) being fired to warn him, he misunderstood the reason for the flares being fired. He thought that it was due to the angle of his approach to RAF Graveley. It was not until he touched down on the runway at RAF Graveley that he became aware that he had forgot to lower and lock down the undercarriage, when the undercarriage collapsed immediately on touchdown.

Spitfire MK994 was deemed FACE (Flying Accident Cat. E) and written off as "beyond economic repair". Formally Struck Off Charge 19-8-46

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.43. ISBN 0-85130-290-4
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.150
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft MA100-MZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. FCCS RAF ORB for the period 1-6-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2750: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505208
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.99: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p072.html
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/86381-mk994
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=MK994
9. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/MK994
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._126_Squadron_RAF#Reformation_in_World_War_II
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Graveley

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Jul-2021 15:50	Dr. John Smith	Added
20-Jul-2021 15:52	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
20-Jul-2021 16:21	Yelush	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator]
16-Sep-2023 10:44	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator]]